Michael Schumacher was unexpectedly approached to take a seat for a team named Jordan in 1991. The sport will always be grateful to the team for letting Schumacher drive in the Belgian GP event, despite the fact that they didn't leave much of a legacy. The squad has undergone numerous wardrobe changes over the years, fourth revamping in 2008 when it changed its name to Force India. The squad has been racing as an Aston Martin for three seasons and is currently in its sixth avatar. But what happened to Force India after a fantastic run on a shoestring budget that lasted almost ten years?
After a decade-long streak of success, Indian business billionaire Vijay Mallya found himself in financial and legal jeopardy after saving the sinking Spyker F1. On the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix in the middle of the 2018 season, the Force India F1 team was placed into administration. Racing Point UK made the purchase of the team's assets. Additionally, because the change occurred in the middle of the season, the team's official entry was non-transferable. This meant that the official entry, which had started in 1991, the year Schumacher first gained notoriety, had come to an end.
Mallya could no longer afford to run the team. This is when Lawrence Stroll stepped in. The billionaire who has an enviable collection of Ferraris has always been the one to appreciate speed. Moreover, his son was driving for Williams Racing at the time. The change of guards between the billionaire businessmen brought Lance Stroll to Racing Point and Lawrence Stroll to F1.
Aston Martin may seem like a new team on the block, but the team dates back to the times when Jack Brabham won his championships, i.e. 1959 and 1960. Yes, the iconic team had graced the sport when it wasn’t too old. However, after decades of absence, the team found its way back to the F1 grid in 2021. Senior Stroll had a vision that is evidently manifesting itself on the grid as Fernando Alonso has risen from the ashes and put the team on the podium 3 out of 3 times we have gone racing in 2023.
Vijay Mallya was found guilty of contempt of court by the Supreme Court of India. According to BBC News, after failing to make a loan repayment, the owner of the bankrupt Kingfisher Airlines neglected to disclose his assets. As a result, the Force India owner received a four-month prison sentence. Force India, which has won several pole positions, podiums, and fastest laps, was unable to make modifications in 2018 due to the team's bankruptcy during the campaign. When the Canadian tycoon bailed out the team, allegations of fraud and non-repayment of the loan against Mallya were already circulating.
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