Previo: Gran Premio de España de Fórmula 1 para Force India

The Spanish Grand Prix is always a significant moment in the season. It marks the return to Europe and it's the moment when the Formula 1 development race really begins. At Force India we have some upgrades to bring to the car in the coming races and I'm excited to see how things will unfold.

We started evaluating those changes at the last race in Turkey by running a new front wing during free practice. It was a shame that it was wet because it limited our test programme and we chose not to run those new parts for the race. We are now analysing what we learned and hopefully we can add this new package to the car either in Barcelona or Monaco, depending how things go. When our new aerodynamic developments are in place, I'm confident we can take a step forward in terms of performance.



As for the racing so far, I think the new rules have certainly achieved their objective. The races have been very exciting and the new Pirelli tyres and DRS have helped to add more unpredictability. I believe this close racing is great for fans of our sport, who can look forward to more of the same this weekend. Hopefully both Force Indias will be in the hunt and challenging for points.
Dr. Vijay Mallya

A chat with Adrian
Describe the Barcelona circuit in three words...
Fast, challenging and well known.

Which part of the lap is most challenging?
The first three corners are quite difficult. It's a quick complex and it's important to get turn one right to have the correct line through the next couple of corners. In qualifying trim, turn three could be taken flat.

What's the secret to setting a quick laptime?
The first and second sectors are high-speed and you need to have the right aero balance. But the final part of the lap is quite slow and the mechanical set-up is more important. The difficult thing is to find the golden middle.

Overtaking has always been difficult at Barcelona - will that change this year?
Yes, I think we should see some overtaking. There is a long straight and tyre degradation will be high. I'm sure the race will be a bit different to what we have seen in previous years.

How do you spend a free evening in Barcelona?
I like to go to the city centre, but that's a bit far away from the circuit. So normally I just have dinner with my friends at the hotel or in a nice local restaurant.


Paul's notes on Barcelona
Paul jots down his thoughts ahead of race number five.
I'm really looking forward to this weekend because I probably know Barcelona better than any other track on the calendar. We did two tests there in the winter and I had four days in the car so I already feel quite well prepared. In fact, it's a track that all the drivers know like the back of their hand and the teams have so much data already.

It's usually a race where all the teams bring upgrades so we will need to take a step forward if we want to stay in the mix. We evaluated a new front wing in Istanbul and we hope to have more steps coming through in the near future. The team has been working hard on this new concept and everybody is quite upbeat about its race introduction, so that's something to look forward to.

The aim for the weekend is to hopefully get back in the points. We've been pretty close to the top ten in all the races so far this season, so hopefully we can stay in the hunt.

My favourite things
Nico lists five things he enjoys about Barcelona.

1) It's a nice city: there's a lot to see and a lot to do away from the circuit in the city centre.
2) Beautiful weather: it's usually very warm and sunny in Spain at this time of year.
3) Great restaurants: I always enjoy trying the Spanish food such as paella.
4) Crowded grandstands: there are always loads of fans, which creates a good atmosphere.
5) First 'real' European race: it's always a special feeling when the European season kicks off.

The Hunt begins
The Force India F1 Team Academy burst into action last month as karting trials got underway across India in search of the country's next driving superstar - quite literally a hunt for one from a billion. 100 of the regional finalists will advance to the National Finals in Goa this September before the ten most promising candidates will come over to Silverstone for the grand finale in October. The winners will be announced at the Indian Grand Prix and will enjoy the support of the team as they embark on a professional career in motorsport. For more details about the Hunt, please visit www.onefromabillion.com

Whyte and Mackay City Guide
Your survival guide for a weekend in Barcelona

Where to visit?
Barcelona has some stunning architecture that is worth a look, mainly in the form of Gaudi's inspiring and colourful creations that are scattered around the city. One of his most famous works is the Sagrada Familla Church, which Gaudi started in 1883 and became a lifelong obsession for him. Sadly, due to his untimely death, he was never able to complete the project.

For those who like sport, a visit to the Nou Camp or the former Olympic site is a must. If shopping is more your thing, then pay a visit to The Ramblas, with the best shops the city has to offer.

Where to drink?
Banker's Bar at the Mandarin Oriental is situated in the heart of some of Gaudi's most architectural showstoppers. It's a contemporary hotel which previously housed a bank. Great location if you are looking for a chic and luxurious drinking place.

For something a bit more authentic try Boadas cocktail bar. Situated close to the Ramblas, this bar is one of the oldest in the capital. It's small and cramped but it's a favourite with tourists and locals alike.

Where to eat?
The Ramblas area of the city has a host of restaurants and cafes. For some traditional tapas visit Taller de Tapas on Sant Josep Ond.

Venture to the outskirts of the city to the chic ABaC Hotel and you'll find a two Michelin starred avante garde dining experience. This hotel was built around its restaurant and offers up delicious food and stunning architecture. A little further afield you'll find one of Raymond Blanc's favourite restaurants, Can Fabes, which serves up seasonal rustic Italian produce.

How it feels to…
F1 explained by the people in the thick of the action…
Ever wondered how it feels to be involved in an F1 pit stop? Facing an F1 car charging at you at 100 km/h. It's something Chris Smith faces every other weekend when he operates the front jack during pit stops. And this year he's busier than ever as the pit crew have clocked up an average of 5.5 stops per race. Here, in his own words, is how it feels to be at the centre of the action…

"You always feel a bit nervous before a pit stop, especially the first one of the day. When you see the car approaching, you think to yourself: 'he's never going to stop', but the drivers usually hit their marks perfectly. Even so, I always stay light on my toes, just in case! As soon as the car arrives, I lift up the front end and my eyes are constantly going from right to left looking for two green gloves to go up. This means the gun men have finished fitting the wheels. When I see those hands, I drop the car and get out of the way as soon as possible."

Force Fact
Force India clocked up 635 laps at Barcelona during winter testing - that's almost 3000 km or ten race distances.

| Force India

Lotus adquiere Caterham y le cambia los colores al Caterham Chapter Seven

To celebrate its new ownership, iconic British sportscar marque Caterham Cars will build a limited run of Team Lotus Special Edition Sevens. Just 25 of the Team Lotus upgrade packages, which can be applied to any variant up to the top-of-the-range 263bhp, 150mph Superlight R500, will be built in the UK, with the same number allocated to the Company’s thriving export markets.

For an additional £3,000 over the price of your chosen car, the Sevens will be specially-liveried in the famous green and yellow colours of Lotus and will come with a raft of bespoke Team Lotus additions. Included in the upgrade package will be an invitation to a customised tour of the Team Lotus F1 factory in Hingham, Norfolk.



As custodians of Colin Chapman’s original ‘50s concept for the Seven since 1973, Caterham Cars’ current product range remains true to Chapman’s philosophy of lightweight, minimalist sportscars.

Outside, the cars will be coated in a Team Lotus-inspired livery and the theme continues in the cockpit, with a plaque carrying the signatures of Team Lotus F1 drivers, Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen. Owners will also receive a Seven history book signed by chief designer, Mike Gascoyne.

Caterham managing director, Ansar Ali, said: “Caterham Cars is starting an exciting and hugely important chapter, so it’s entirely fitting that we celebrate our opportunity to take Colin Chapman’s ‘less is more’ philosophy global, with this special car.

“Owners of the Special Edition Sevens will have not only a fabulous British sportscar, but a genuine piece of automotive history in their garage.”


Team Lotus Enterprise today announces that it has purchased British sportscar maker Caterham Cars.
The acquisition by Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin, the men behind the Team Lotus Formula 1 squad, from the shareholder consortium led by Corven Ventures, will see the legendary lightweight sportscar manufacturer expand its brand profile and product family.

The acquisition of Caterham Cars by Team Lotus Enterprise will not only signal the continued development of the legendary Seven, but will provide Caterham with the platform to apply its philosophy of ‘adding lightness’ to exciting new models for the 21st Century.

This exciting new era for Caterham will be led by the company’s existing management team, headed up by Caterham Cars Managing Director, Ansar Ali.

Ansar’s direction has been responsible for energising Caterham’s export prowess during the last five years, creating the iconic Superlight R500 – Top Gear’s Car of the Year for 2008 – and Caterham’s first brand new model in 15 years, the stunning SP/300.R sports prototype racer.

As custodians of Colin Chapman’s two-seater Seven since 1973, Caterham has been responsible for the evolution of a car originally conceived as a ‘fit for purpose’ race-car for the road in 1957.


Today, the Seven is arguably the benchmark for the perfect balance between power and intuitive, user-friendly handling, and in spite of its years remains one of the most raced cars in the world. It has also been the inspiration for the recently-launched Caterham-Lola SP/300.R for the race and track day community.

Tony Fernandes said: “Caterham has a unique place at the heart of the motoring world. As well as being proudly and staunchly British, it has an enviable and uniquely unblemished reputation within the industry for performance, handling and engineering excellence.

“Caterham Cars has remained wholly faithful to Colin Chapman’s philosophy of ‘less is more’, and the DNA of the original Seven can still be traced to the newest additions to Caterham’s product offering.

“It is already a successful business with sales across Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East, and under the guidance of the existing management team, we now have all the ingredients and the launch pad to further evolve that spirit and take Caterham to new exciting horizons with innovative products and greater global brand exposure.”

Caterham Cars, Managing Director, Ansar Ali, added: “This is yet another exciting chapter in the Caterham story. Until now, the resources Caterham has had at its disposal have, naturally, limited the exposure of the Caterham experience and the legendary Seven has had to rely almost entirely on its remarkable reputation and legacy.

“We will remain entirely true to the philosophy that we, as custodians of one man’s motoring concept, have protected for nearly 40 years.

“However, the acquisition of the company by Team Lotus Enterprise will allow our existing management team to take Caterham’s core spirit of pure driving enjoyment to a hitherto un-served audience.

“While the Seven will now have the global springboard it deserves and will continue to be evolved yet further, we also have the opportunity to expand the Caterham family beyond the Seven and SP/300.R and breathe new life into our uniquely respected brand and mature it into a truly global business.”



| Lotus | Caterham