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Force India target wins by 2010

Force India boss Vijay Mallya says his team are aiming to fight for wins in two years' time thanks to their collaboration with McLaren-Mercedes

The Indian billionaire on Monday announced a five-year technical deal with the Woking-based outfit and the German car maker, an agreement which will see Force India use the same engines, gearboxes and KERS system run by McLaren in 2009.

Force India failed to score a point in 2008, where they used Ferrari engines, and Mallya says he is looking to score points regularly next year before fighting for wins in 2010.

"We all know how long things take to actually happen in Formula One because it's super competitive. We can't take anything for granted," Mallya told a selected group of reporters at the Force India factory.

"Other teams are also developing and improving and of course in 2009 it's virtually a brand new car and a brand new design. At least from my perspective, winning races I think I can certainly aspire for maybe in 2010, but for 2009 I would be happy if we are regularly in the points. That would be already a major step forward."

The new partnership will see McLaren's Operations Director Simon Robert becoming Force India's COO, working full-time at the factory.

McLaren's F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said their goal was to turn Force India into a winning team, although he admitted that the task will be challenging given Formula One's competitive field.

"We hope that that with some assistance and guidance from our technology business, McLaren Applied Technology, we can focus on some of the process, the methodology that is necessary to build a winning team," said Whitmarsh. "People shouldn't forget that the difference between the front of the grid and the back of the grid isn't so great.

"I know people sometimes assume that those at the front are there because they have some trick, widget, idea or concept on the car but it is seldom in my experience the case.

"The teams that are at the front have worked on developing that engineering process, discipline, procedure, methodology that can discern very small fractions of percent of performance differentiation.

"Ultimately if we can move in true competitive terms, performance terms, Force India forward by 2% then that actually is a substantial improvement in today's Formula One. I believe that we can help Force India to develop those processes and those techniques and that methodology that have a resolution and fidelity that you can discern those very small percentage improvements.

"There's no magic wand, McLaren has a range of businesses, our core business is going motor-racing and we see this as an exciting opportunity. It's a challenge for Force India and ourselves."

Mallya admitted that one of his main goals for the future is to have one of his cars on the podium when Formula One races in India in 2011.

"I would love to see a Force India car on the podium in the inaugural Indian grand Prix," he added. "Obviously that has to be a core objective as well. Now that is in 2011 and I say why not? I'm sure Martin would love to see a Force India and a McLaren racing each other.

"There's nothing wrong with that, it will only show how much benefit they can get from a team like ours. I told the staff the same thing and I truly believe it - my defining moment was when Ron Dennis told me that the performance of Force India will reflect on McLaren as well.

"That said it all for me. And that's really the answer - they take as much pride in my performance as I take from the team."

Whitmarsh added: "From my perspective I will look forward to the day when we have Force India on the podium regardless of the fortunes of McLaren. Obviously I hope that we've got two cars on the upper steps, but the reality is Formula One is about competition, McLaren is about competition.

"Inevitably there are going to be questions externally as well as internally about the nature of this relationship. If, as a consequence of this relationship, Force India are in a position to give us a hard time on the circuit then I think that's an interesting prospect. That is something that ultimately we've got to respond to. We're n Formula One to compete."

Mallya also made it clear that the new deal was fully compliant with the current Concorde Agreement regarding customer cars.

"We don't know what shape or form the Concorde Agreement will take in the future," he said.

"We are proceeding on the assumption that the present Concorde Agreement and the definition of a constructor will continue and I have to say that I bought this team only because it had a constructor status.

"It's better to assume that the current Concorde Agreements will continue the way they are and remain and independent constructor."

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