Force India Launch In Early March

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I believe this is the heights of optimism to actually say that testing things inhouse is better than testing it on the track..
history would Prove that!
I definitely think it is a disadvantage..

Historically, the benefits of developing in-house v. developing on track have fluctuated between seasons. However, it is a fact that the first and last launches are hardly ever the eventual winners. This is because a compromise is generally best. (This year, it looks like Ferrari and ex-Honda will be first and last respectively).

Computers and windtunnels are good at giving lots of information about specific situations in a relatively short time-frame. When there is a lot of change, the bias tends to go towards them.

Track testing is good because real-world data not incorporated into computers and windtunnels can have unexpected effects. However, it's worth noting that the gap reduces each year as engineers understand what parts of real life are significant to cars better. Still, in years when the technical landscape is relatively static, the bias in the factory-testing balance tilts heavily towards testing. This is especially the case if the changes to a given team are bigger than the changes to the series in which it races.

This year, we have a vastly different F1 to previous years. The introduction of KERS and major new aero rules means that testing cannot come close to covering all the bases. Even though Force India are making big technical changes that would normally mean it would gain special benefit from track testing, the changes to F1 are so big that the ability to span multitudes of solutions and cross-check them is more important than getting extra-accurate assessments of a few solutions.

2010 will almost certainly be another matter. But this year I suspect that the late-testing route will work. Unless a major error occurs in the design, in which case Force India is in serious trouble.

i'm still of the opinion that FI will get major help in chassis design from McLaren.. if not the initial launch McLaren car..if it were not so, why did Gasky leave.. he must have seen his designs and work being scrapped in favour of the McLaren concepts

They may get help later in the year with chassis design/development, but I suspect that initially the chassis will be the one Mike Gascoyne and co designed before he left. Obviously changes will have been made to accomodate the Mclaren engine etc. but generally it will be Mike's baby... at least at the start of the year. In my opinion thats not a bad thing, Mike is a top designer, its a shame he's left.