Will 2014 be Vijay Mallya’s YEAR at F1?

If all goes well, 2014 could go down in history as THE YEAR for Dr. Vijay Mallya. After four races in the current season, his team Sahara Force India-Mercedes is performing relatively well and in the Constructors Title chase, it is No.3 with 54 points among the teams in Formula One. They are closely tailed by Ferrari with 52 points. Its driver Nico Hulkenberg stands fourth in the Driver Championship with 36 points, while teammate Sergio Perez is 10^th with 18 points. 

So where did it all start for Dr. Mallya? We need to rewind to the year 2007. In 2007, the Formula One grid in Australia was a little different from what it had been in the past. For the first time ever, an Indian owned team was present to compete for the championship. Force India made its debut with the VJM01, using the owner Vijay Mallya’s initials to name the car followed by version number. But this wasn’t the first time F1 had an Indian touch to it.

Since 1981, this team was owned by the Irish businessman Eddie Jordan named Jordan Grand Prix. The team gave the first drive to one of the greatest F1 driver the world had ever seen. Jordan gave Michael Schumacher his debut race. The Jordan GP cars were also driven by great world champions and greats like Damon Hill, Jean Alesi, Rubens Barichello, Eddie Irvine, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Ralf Schumacher and many more of the likes. In 2005, came an Indian fellow named Narain Karthikeyan.

Read detailed story in May 2014 issue of Motown India magazine

File photo of Dr Vijay Mallya / Photography Mohd. Nasir