Force India shake-up

Force India is in a race against time to ready a car for 2009 after agreeing a deal to use Mercedes engines and gearboxes and a KERS system from McLaren.

The team had an ongoing engine supply deal with Ferrari, but team owner Vijay Mallya ended it a year early because he wanted to have a complete drivetrain package, and Ferrari could not supply it. In effect the team has had to start afresh with the design of the VJM02.

The news coincided with a major management shake-up. Mallya will take over the team principal role and adopt a more hands-on approach, while erstwhile team boss Colin Kolles and chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne have both left.

Ex-McLaren man Steven Robert will handle day-to-day business as COO, with the technical side headed by James Key and Mark Smith.