Force India has announced that its technical director James Key has left the team. Design director Mark Smith will be promoted to replace him.
Key has been with the team since its Jordan days, initially joining as a data engineer in 1998. He progressed through the ranks to become technical director by 2005.
“I have spent the majority of my motor racing career within the team and although a difficult decision I felt the time was right for me to move on to new opportunities,” Key …

Paul di Resta has declared himself pleased with his half-day at the wheel of Force India’s VJM-03 at Jerez today, despite the test being affected by constantly-changing weather.
Di Resta, who will serve as a Friday test driver with the team at most of the races during 2010, spent the morning in the car before handing it over to Adrian Sutil early in the afternoon.

Even though it was his teammate at the time, Giancarlo Fisichella, that almost secured his Force India team’s maiden victory at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium last year, it is thought that Adrian Sutil may well use this year’s Mercedes powered contender to finally stand on the top step of the rostrum.

Force India believes that fifth place in the constructors’ championship is a realistic goal for the 2010 season.
The team had a breakout year in 2009, taking its first pole position and podium at Spa with Giancarlo Fisichella, and Adrian Sutil qualifying second at Monza and third at Interlagos.

Adrian Sutil believes his Force India team’s hope of fighting for points in every race this year is realistic, following his impressive performance in this week’s test at Jerez.
Sutil set the second fastest time on Saturday and the fifth quickest overall at the test, and is confident in the potential of his car.

Adrian Sutil says he is thrilled with the performance of Force India’s VJM03 and has never felt so confident going into a season before.
The German had his first taste of Force India’s 2010 car in yesterday’s Jerez test, and although rain affected most of the day, Sutil said he learned enough to know that the team had produced a good car.

Force India driver Vitantonio Liuzzi has predicted a ‘big fight’ in Bahrain, after suggesting that he had not seen a car that ‘particularly stood out’ from the field during the second day’s testing at Jerez on Thursday.
The Italian, who ended the test fifth fastest, 0.8s away from the ultimate pace set by Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi, said that while it was too early to say whether his own Force India VJM03 would be a contender, he believed the battle would be closer at the front …

Tonio Liuzzi believes Force India’s 2010 programme got off to a very strong start in testing today even though the persistent rain meant he could not get a clear indication of the VJM03’s pace.
The Italian only managed a handful of laps on a dry track at Jerez this morning before the rain set in, but was still pleased with the new car.

Vitantonio Liuzzi is viewing 2010 as a fresh start for his career, after finally getting a proper opportunity to show what he can do in Formula 1.
The Italian says he has never felt more at home in an F1 team, having had difficult times at Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso in the past few years.

Force India’s new VJM03 may be mostly an evolution on last year’s design, but the team has made big strides with its double diffuser concept.
Mark Smith, its design director, said fully optimising the double diffuser was one of the key areas for improvement that the team focused on over the winter.

Adrian Sutil is confident his Force India team will enjoy a strong 2010 season after launching its new challenger on Tuesday.
The German driver will start his fourth consecutive season at the Silverstone-based squad, having enjoyed his strongest campaign to date last year.

Force India boss Vijay Mallya says his team is aiming to score “more points and more podiums” in the 2010 season following a promising 2009.
The Silverstone-based squad enjoyed what Mallya labelled as an exceptional 2009 season, in which the team scored its maiden podium as well as its first pole position on its way to ninth place in the standings.

Force India’s design director Mark Smith is confident the team will not be at a disadvantage despite having missed the first test of 2010.
The Silverstone-based squad decided to skip the Valencia test last week in order to have extra days of development before it kicks off its testing programme on Wednesday at Jerez.

The Force India Formula One Team will unveil its 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship challenger, the VJM03, in an online presentation on 9 February, before its official testing debut at Jerez circuit the following day.
Before running on 10 February, there will be a photo shoot with the VJM03 and drivers in the Jerez pit lane then following running, drivers, design director Mark Smith and chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer will take part in a press conference.