Force India

After making it to Formula 1 through the purchase of the financially troubled Spyker team, Force India didn't exactly sizzle in their debut year. Like some of the other teams that have recently come about, Spyker (as it was previously known) was a result of a buyout of Midland F1. So technically, the team has been in existence since 1991 (as Jordan), but in its new orange and silver livery and under the Spyker name, 2007 was their debut season. As Force India, the team has undergone more changes and now sports the green, orange and white of India's national flag.

Under the leadership of the flamboyant liquor baron Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India has been responsible for creating greater interest and awareness of F1 in India. But beyond this, they haven't shown much on the track. Struggling to complete races, the team was the only one (apart from the Super Aguri who pulled out) not to score a point. For 2009, that must be the first target.

In 2009, Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil managed to only bag thirteen points to finish ninth overall in the Constructors Championship. The second position finish for Fisichella in Belgium was quite a moment for Force India and Adrian Sutil finished with a fourth position in Italy. Post European GP, Fisichella went on to replace Luca Badoer in Ferrari and handed his seat at Force India F1 to Vitantonio Liuzzi.

With Vitantonio Liuzzi and Adrian Sutil as the drivers, there was a good mix of experience and youth and with the car improving in leaps and bounds, the first half of the 2010 season was beyond expectation. The team held on to 6th till almost the end of the season, only to lose it to Williams by a solitary point.

There are high hopes for the team in 2011. With Sutil who point wise was equivalent to Rubens Barrichello, and di Resta the young blood that once raced with the likes of Vettel and Hamilton, Force India looks poised to burst out of the mid field and challenge the big boys.