At a gala event in India today, F1’s newest team, Force India, took the covers off its 2008 VJM01 race car revealing for the first time the team’s new livery of gold, tungsten and white. Attending the event was team owner Vijay Mallya and main drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil, who were also joined by several Indian celebrities and politicians.

Team boss Colin Kolles earlier confirmed that the launch car is in fact a Spyker from last year’s season that has been modified and used by Force India in recent pre-season tests. The definitive car, a further development of the 2007 Spyker, he revealed, will be tested for the first time later month. The VJM01 now heads to Barcelona where it will start testing for the first time on the 25th of this month in preparation for the start of the F1 season in mid March.

Based in Silverstone, just outside of the actual race track that hosted the first ever F1 race, Force India evolved from the original Jordan Grand Prix team and then the recent Spyker Team. Since its inception in 1991, the team has had four race wins and 19 podium places. Though the team is clearly one of the backmarkers of F1, they hope to move up to mid-level status by the end of the year.

Force India 2008 VJM01