Technical updates of Force India – Malaysian and Japanese GP

Force India has been steadily making progress throughout the 2017 championship season. The Silverstone-based squad with Indian licence is currently occupying the fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship which looks set in stone because of the point deficit and advantage to the third-placed Red Bull and fifth-placed Williams.

The team conducted experiences with different aerodynamic solutions over the weekend of the Malaysian and the Japanese GP. The Andrew Green-led technical staff was desperate to find the best aerodynamic balance for the tricky flowing circuit of Suzuka which demands a high level of aerodynamic downforce through the challenging high-speed corners, but highlights the top-speed on the long full-throttle section between the spoon corner through the 130R up to the final chicane.

The team has been running Mercedes-like, incredibly complex bargeboards since the early part of the season. The bargeboards featuring ten vanes got updated for Malaysia. The height of the vanes was decreased which manage the airflow flying towards the back of the car. The solution with the shorter vanes was tested in Malayisa, but it did not reappear in the final race configuration.

The team also tested a new monkey seat in Malaysia and Japan. The new solution is made up by two elements on its top end and the whole configuration forms an O-shape and is connected on the two edges of the rear crash structure.

Also on the Sepang circuit, the team sent the VJM10 equipped with a modified diffusor. Its upper part has three elements. The top-element of those had a curvature in the middle part, but with the latest upgrade all three elements are more linear. The outer edges of the diffusor got integrated with the three extra upper elements. The team tested the upgraded diffusor in Malaysia which then made its debut.