When Sahara Force India pulled the tarp off its new VM10 in February, it wasn’t planning on using the silver, black and orange paint scheme solely as a test livery. But that’s exactly what’s happened, as the team has changed the look of its car ahead of the Formula One season opener in Australia.
Force India’s car, as well as the helmets of drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, will sport a new pink design to reflect its new partnership with BWT, a European water technology company, according to a press release.
For an independent team such as Force India, the signing is a big achievement. Throughout the offseason, its added several new sponsors, which should give it a good boost in resources for in-season development.
“The arrival of BWT in Formula One is huge news and represents one of the most significant partnerships in our 10-year history,” team principal Vijay Mallya said in a statement. “It’s a sign of how far we have come as a team with our strong results and completes a solid commercial performance over the winter. For 2017, our cars will sport a vibrant new color scheme with a smart matte finish. Changing the color of our cars is an indication of the strength of this new partnership and a real statement of intent from BWT as they begin their relationship with the sport of Formula One.”
In response to Force India’s new look, one Reddit user supposedly thought of a new name for the team, and it has nothing to do with its partnership with BWT.
We’re not exactly sure whether we like the pink VJM10 yet, though it will add a bit of variety to the field.
Of the 10 teams, Mercedes-AMG Petronas and Haas F1 Team have gray-ish-silver cars that look relatively similar to Force India’s previous livery. However, the team’s new design won’t be confused with any other car’s.
All photos via Sahara Force India
