London: Sahara Force India team principal Vijay Mallya has pumped in $32 million into his Formula One team ahead of the season opener in Melbourne Sunday.
Watson, the personal investment company used by the liquor baron, has loaned Force India nearly $10 million while Mallya’s Kinghfisher Airlines and his beer and spirit arm has generated the remaining $22 million through sponsorship, The Scotsman reported Monday.
The Silverstone-based team is eying to better its last year’s sixth place finish in the 2012 Constructors’ Championship.
Force India found a co-owner Subrata Roy led Sahara Group last year when the Indian company bought a 42.5 percent stake in the F1 team. Sahara said that it would invest a further $100 million into the mid-field outfit.
Meanwhile, the presence of two young drivers in the side and their “healthy rivalry” will help Sahara Force India do better in the 2012 Formula One season, the team said today.
Force India promoted young German Nico Hulkenberg to the racing seat in place of Adrian Sutil. Scot Paul di Resta, who had a goos debut season in 2011, is the other driver in the side. The season-opening Australian Grand Prix will be held on Sunday in Melbourne.
“Driver-wise I’m extremely excited by our line-up this year. Nico and Paul are both young and hungry, and will ensure we squeeze every last thousandth from the car.
“There will be some healthy in-house rivalry, too, which will be fascinating to watch, and I believe that we will get better results in the long run by having two drivers pushing each other on,” Mallya said.
Mallya was satisfied with the way the technical team has developed the new car for the season.
Paul Di Resta, who made his debut here last year, said the season will see a very close fight among the top teams.
“All the teams around us look strong and have been consistent in testing, so we just have to wait and see. Also, I think almost every team will have some new parts on their cars so it really is too early to make any judgements. To begin with our goal is simply to try and pick up points at every race,” he said. Hulkenberg is excited to race for the for the first time for Force India. “There’s a lot of excitement – that’s the word I keep using to describe how I’m feeling,” he said. (PTI)