Force India complies with larger number display rule

©WRI2

Force India implemented a revised race number display on its VJM10 following the FIA faulting the Silverstone-based squad last weekend in Spain.

To help the fans in the grandstands and the TV audience, F1 told teams they must fit bigger numbers and the drivers' abbreviated names on their cars from Spain.

But Force India argued that because of their sponsor deals with BWT and NEC, adding 'OCO' and 'PER' to their cars would be confusing.

However, it was the location of the bigger race numbers on the pink cars that actually broke the rules last weekend and saw the team hit with a €25,000 fine by the governing body.

Fernley credits factory and team for Force India consistency

Present at a film day on Thursday at Silverstone, Force India tweaked the location of its numbers on the VJM10 for better visibility and added a three-letter driver name abbreviation on the shark fin, as the video below shows.

Last weekend in Barcelona, Force India COO defended his team's interpretaion of the new mandatro display regulations.

As you know, Force India does well on the track but is not as strong in the commercial area, which is related to the way revenues are distributed in formula one," he said.

"But the approach of the commercial rights holders is what it is, so we have to maximise the way we work with sponsors. To do this, we need to make optimal use of the space on the car.

"Personally, I think we could come up with a better way to distinguish the cars on the track," Szafnauer added.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.