No name change for Force India yet

Force India will not change its name in 2018. Earlier, amid rumours an energy drink company called Rich Energy would buy the team, it was reported the team could drop the word 'India' from its name. But Auto Motor und Sport says any name change for Force India will now wait until at least 2019.

A deal with Rich Energy was not done, and talks with BWT about a naming deal reportedly also did not bear fruit. "No title sponsor and no new owner means no new name," said correspondent Michael Schmidt.

And a mid-year name change is also ruled out, as the FIA thinks that would be confusing. Force India finish fourth overall in both 2016 and 2017, but it seems that other midfield teams have now stepped ahead of the Silverstone based outfit. "A lot of cars are going to be within half a second," Haas boss Gunther Steiner said in Melbourne. "The biggest threats are from Renault, McLaren and Force India," he added.