Flagpole position
Vijay Mallya, of Kingfisher fame, and Dutch businessman Michiel Mol bought British-based Formula One team Spyker earlier this month and Mallya has now announced the team will be renamed Force India F1 from next season. The logo has been designed, but not revealed. It will comprise the tricolor of the Indian flag and will feature prominently on the cars. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has approved the suggestion, but some red tape still remains before the name change can go ahead.
Etihad Aldar Spyker, formerly known as Jordan, is a troubled team and has changed hands three times in two years. Today, when golden boy Lewis Hamilton lost out on securing the greatest debut season in F1 history, Spyker’s two cars failed to even finish the Brazilian Grand Prix. Mallya has said he will ask airline buddies Airbus to help out with aerodynamics.
Mallya knows exactly what he’s doing. Branding the team Force India F1 will attract thousands, if not millions of affluent Indians to the sport simply due to the team’s name. The groundswell of support will be palpable.
This come some years after a short-lived cameo by Narain Karthikeyan, at the time tipped to be India’s next sporting superstar. He now finds his home in India’s A1GP team, which currently stands at 12th in the world. However his brief appearance whet Indian appetites for the most glamorous and expensive of sports. New Delhi will host the first Indian F1 Grand Prix in 2010, giving Force India F1 some time to prove itself.
on Sunday, October 21st, 2007, 8:21 pm in Sports › 
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I’m sure there is a demographic that has high appeal for Force India F-Tatti or whatever.
Basically I find the KF airline personnel’s uniforms unseemly. Ive traveled through india and it’s horrid watching these women in their early twenties crouched over because the shoes are uncomfortable and they look like they’re squished into these ghastly red suits made of some seventies’ synthetic fabric. It’s just tacky and often ugly.
In contrast, I rather like the uniforms for the Jet air air staff personnel. Chic and tasteful. Even the Indian airlines’ uniforms of sari and elbow length blouses are elegant.
Brilliant branding, like Times of India, which is anything but.
I was considering not playing Fantasy F1 for the first time in years after F1 certifiably became a soap opera this year. But, Force India F1? Remarkable stroke, might play again.
Cricket has become a sport for the masses; India’s uber rich need a pastime to separate themselves from the fray, something that sends class cues. Force India F1 is perfect.
Mallya has worn the logo to the past couple of races. When I first saw the logo I figured it was in support of F1 and India, who knew he would name it Force India.