Force India Formula One Team

The Spyker F8-VII (subsequently known as the Force India VJM01) is a Formula One car, constructed by Spyker F1 that competed in the 2007 Formula One World Championship. A B Specification Car named the Spyker F8-VIIB was launched at the Italian Grand Prix and used for the remainder of the 2007 season. For the 2008 World Championship Force India will use a slightly modified version of the F8-VII, called the Force India VJM01 named after Vijay Mallya. The F8-VII was the only car constructed by Spyker F1 in their own right after their take-over from the struggling Midland F1 team part way through 2006.


Spyker was bought by Vijay Mallya during 2007 and has become Force India for 2008. The rebranded team will continue to use the F8-VII chassis for the first part of the season. However, the car has been rebranded as the Force India VJM01. With initial 2008 testing being carried out in reliveried F8-VIIBs, the definitive version of the VJM01 - still closely based on the F8-VIIB - made its testing début on February 25, 2008.

Spyker launched their 2007 challenger, the Ferrari-powered F8-VII on Monday at Silverstone, the organisation's first ever Formula One car after its takeover of Midland F1 in September last year. Only now has Manipe F1 been able to gets its hands on the car's technical specifications, details of which are below. Interestingly enough though, the team have refused to disclose many specific details about the car, including the exact overall length of the vehicle, with the F8-VII's wheelbase also remaining a mystery.

Spyker F8-VII Technical Specifications

Chassis

• Full carbon fibre composite monocoque
• Front suspension: Composite pushrods activating chassis mounted in-line dampers and torsion bars, unequal length composite aerodynamic wishbones, front anti-roll bar and cast uprights.
• Rear suspension: Composite pushrods activating gearbox mounted rotary dampers & torsion bars, unequal length composite aerodynamic wishbones, and cast uprights.

Transmission

• In-house Spyker design. 7-speed + reverse longitudinal gearbox with electrohydraulic sequential gear change
• Wheel base: More than 3000 mm
• Front track: 1480 mm
• Rear track: 1418 mm
• Overall height: 950 mm
• Overall length: Approx. 5000 mm
• Overall weight: 605 kg (with driver, by regulations)
• Clutch: Triple plate AP racing clutch
• Wheels: Forged BBS wheels to Spyker specification
• Fuel tank capacity: Over 90 kg

Engine

• Ferrari Tipo 056 Technical Specifications
• Designation: Ferrari F1-056H
• Number of Cylinders: 8
• Capacity: 2398 cc
• Horsepower: More than 700 bhp
• Revolutions: 19,000 rpm (by regulation)
• Valve actuation: Pneumatic
• Throttle actuation: Hydraulic
• Spark Plugs: NGK

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