Force India to miss next F1 test, denies not paying supplier bills

[CNR]

sorry force india you can not do the test with last years 2014 car (shoot you self in the foot ?)
http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story/f1-force-india-denies-not-paying-supplier-bills-020715

"As for rumored problems with the fuel tank supplier ATL, Schmidt said the explanation is that the company changed the payment terms of its bills(and did not tell us ?), but Force India has now "paid the bill and received the tank.""

[N. Jones]

This is Bernie's year. He'll have seven teams, three cars per team, and more money than God.

[Doc Austin]

What was the cut off number for teams being required to supply a third car? Wasn't it 16?

[jens]

I think it could be a bit late to enter third cars this year. I don't know. I think some team principal already late last year commented that it is too late to make a regulation for third cars for 2015. Now it would be even later! But don't know the specifics.:)

I still want to believe that Force India makes it onto the grid. Inherently they should be a much stronger team than either Marussia or Caterham. But we'll see.

[jens]

What was the cut off number for teams being required to supply a third car? Wasn't it 16?

I don't know any more. It is so confusing.:p: I thought 20 was the number, below which it shouldn't drop. But I have seen claims that even 14 could be the number!

Well, how small numbers can FIA and TV companies tolerate?

[CNR]

http://citizen.co.za/324546/back-stabbing-tactics-from-f1s-elite-strategy-group/
"Force India have reported the latest offering will not be ready until the second series of tests in Barcelona a week later, so they will be running the 2014 car."

[Doc Austin]

http://citizen.co.za/324546/back-stabbing-tactics-from-f1s-elite-strategy-group/
"Force India have reported the latest offering will not be ready until the second series of tests in Barcelona a week later, so they will be running the 2014 car."

It's a bit two faced of Force India to deny Marussia a chance to run their 2014 car, and then they turn around and do the same thing.

[anfield5]

It's a bit two faced of Force India to deny Marussia a chance to run their 2014 car, and then they turn around and do the same thing.

I see it the other way. It explains why F.I are against letting Manor use last years car. F.I are not much better off than Manor, but they (because they managed to stay solvent) have had to spend mega bucks to design a new chassis (money they haven't really got) So while they struggle to make the grid with the '15 car, Manor are being allowed to forego the expense of producing a legal car and just roll up with last years thing instead. Basically F.I (and others) with little or no cash are being penalised for not going broke.

[Doc Austin]

I don't see why Force India should be allowed to test with their 014 car if they voted not to let Marussia race theirs. It's a goose and gander, and a fair is fair type of thing for me.

And if it's just for testing, what if Marussia shows up at Barcelona with their 014 wanting to join the test? Do you let them, or do you send them home while F.I. tests their 014 car? Personally all I care about is that it's the same thing for everyone. If Marussia can't run last year's car, I don't see why FE deserves a chance to run theirs.

[anfield5]

Testing and racing are different animals though. Any one can test almost anything pre-season, and it wouldnt be the first time a team has used an old car in testing, I honestly don't see wht there is a problem with this, let alone any debate or discussion.

As to letting Manor test with last years thing. If they have had their 2015 entry taken and they are part of the season, of course they can test the '14 car. If they have not been allowed entry into the '15 season then they can't.

[Doc Austin]

As to letting Manor test with last years thing. If they have had their 2015 entry taken and they are part of the season, of course they can test the '14 car. If they have not been allowed entry into the '15 season then they can't.

I read that they had paid their entry fee, so I suppose they are entered in the championship.

[anfield5]

I read that they had paid their entry fee, so I suppose they are entered in the championship.

Then I guess they can show up in Barcelona and pretty much test what they have - assuming they have people to run the team and drive the car

[Doc Austin]

According to this (http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/force-india-on-road-to-barcelona-test), Force India is on the way to Barcelona, but all they have in the transporter is a 2014 car.

There has been so much talk and so many excuses that I don't know if they are going to make it or not. At best they will be hanging from a financial thread all year long.

[Doc Austin]

Now it appears Force India is testing with Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein (http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mercedes-test-driver-tipped-for-force-india-seat-in-barcelona)as a way of paying it's engine bills. It's hard to imagine the team's regular drivers are too thrilled about this.

Every piece of Force India news has lately been bad news. I would not be shocked if we never see the new car.

[jens]

Then I guess they can show up in Barcelona and pretty much test what they have - assuming they have people to run the team and drive the car

Yep. You can run any car, because in testing the F1 car doesn't need to fit any technical regulations... EXCEPT safety I think.

But in testing we have had at times, when teams indeed have illegal cars, even when they don't know it! Didn't McLaren once have suspension upside down?:D And Williams was underweight in 2011, thus looking quick?

I think Marussia/Manor is officially entered for the 2015 F1 season and thus can test. However, unlike Force India, the problem is that the team already went to administration and was dissolved. So basically they even do not have a functioning team to participate in the tests, and do not have even the finances! They have to put every basic puzzle together again to even get to the grid.

[AndyL]

Yep. You can run any car, because in testing the F1 car doesn't need to fit any technical regulations... EXCEPT safety I think.

On Sky, Ted Kravitz did make some comment about cars having to be regulation-compliant for testing this year. I can't find anything in the rulebook about that though. I could only see the rules requiring that they must have passed the crash tests, as you said, and that's the same as last year.


But in testing we have had at times, when teams indeed have illegal cars, even when they don't know it! Didn't McLaren once have suspension upside down?:D

Oh yes that's right, and when they put it on the right way up, the car went slower :)

[Malbec]

I think Marussia/Manor is officially entered for the 2015 F1 season and thus can test. However, unlike Force India, the problem is that the team already went to administration and was dissolved. So basically they even do not have a functioning team to participate in the tests, and do not have even the finances! They have to put every basic puzzle together again to even get to the grid.

Marussia hasn't been dissolved although it was put into administration, thats why the entity still exists for entry in the 2015 season. Apparently they do have funding of some sort as they claim they are busy preparing a 2015 compliant car although they are likely to miss the first three races.

Once the team is dissolved their entry is nullified which is unfortunately what has happened to Caterham...