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F1 News & Discussions => F1 Teams => Topic started by: cosworth151 on June 16, 2017, 12:08:28 PM

Title: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: cosworth151 on June 16, 2017, 12:08:28 PM
Force India F1 (Formerly Jordan, then Midland, then Spyker) might change names again.

"The feeling is that with our improved performance, we are able to attract more international sponsors," Team principal Vijay Mallya said. "Force India could be restrictive. But it is an important decision, not to be taken in haste."

I doubt that Mallya's high profile legal fights with the Indian government has left him with a warm & fuzzy feeling toward his country.

http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/force-india-formula-1-team-may-undergo-name-change-soon
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on June 16, 2017, 02:55:56 PM
Also might make the team easier to sell
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Scott on June 16, 2017, 07:03:55 PM
It would be more fun if teams adopted names like Football, Hockey, Basketball or Baseball.

Mallya's Marauders with some kind of Pirate motif on the livery?
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on June 16, 2017, 07:36:34 PM
+1   :good: :good: :good:
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: John S on June 16, 2017, 08:02:45 PM

Yeah but they need to be careful Scott these jaunty sounding names could bite them on the bum; anyone for McLaren Swifts or the Renault Rockets.  :-[  See what I mean. :D
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on June 16, 2017, 08:28:22 PM
It would be more fun if teams adopted names like Football, Hockey, Basketball or Baseball.

Mallya's Marauders with some kind of Pirate motif on the livery?

Sports teams names used to be informal, like the Brooklyn "Trolly Dodgers" or Jim Mutrie's "Giants".  We do see that in F1, with "Scuderia" or the "Silver Arrows". 

It would be nice if more teams had informal names.  It's almost shocking that Williams and McLaren haven't earned nick names in their time in the sport.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Alianora La Canta on June 20, 2017, 12:40:29 PM
Vijay opening the door to team renaming makes the team easier to part-sell. If he has to let go of his share to repay his dues, then it makes it possible for a new shareholder without Vijay needing to lose control of his team or for the new shareholder having to disturb Roy Subatra's or the Mol family shareholdings.

Neither Williams nor McLaren has an informal nickname, which is hardly surprising as the people in charge of them for the longest time prized formality. Neither would have encouraged nicknames for their teams, in the way of Ferrari's "Scuderia Rosso". More surprising is that Red Bull/Toro Rosso doesn't have an informal nickname.

Most of the others haven't been around long enough under their current name for an informal nickname to catch on. F1 fans tend to be anti-gimmick and names are a sensitive subject. Witness David Richards' attempt to get BAR nicknamed "Pure" or Jaguar F1's as "The Leaping Cat" (which should have been a doddle given that their road car division already has that nickname...)

Force India are trying for an informal nickname with "Pink Panthers", which I guess will work as long as nobody with a different colour becomes title sponsor, regardless of what happens with the formal name. It does seem to be gaining some traction on social media.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on June 20, 2017, 03:20:15 PM
Vijay opening the door to team renaming makes the team easier to part-sell. If he has to let go of his share to repay his dues, then it makes it possible for a new shareholder without Vijay needing to lose control of his team or for the new shareholder having to disturb Roy Subatra's or the Mol family shareholdings.

Neither Williams nor McLaren has an informal nickname, which is hardly surprising as the people in charge of them for the longest time prized formality. Neither would have encouraged nicknames for their teams, in the way of Ferrari's "Scuderia Rosso". More surprising is that Red Bull/Toro Rosso doesn't have an informal nickname.

Most of the others haven't been around long enough under their current name for an informal nickname to catch on. F1 fans tend to be anti-gimmick and names are a sensitive subject. Witness David Richards' attempt to get BAR nicknamed "Pure" or Jaguar F1's as "The Leaping Cat" (which should have been a doddle given that their road car division already has that nickname...)

Force India are trying for an informal nickname with "Pink Panthers", which I guess will work as long as nobody with a different colour becomes title sponsor, regardless of what happens with the formal name. It does seem to be gaining some traction on social media.

'Leaping Cat' doesn't sound nearly as impressive as 'Jaguar'.  'Leaping Cat' invokes the image of a house cat jumping on your kitchen counter to smash a glass:  'Jaguar' sounds like a dangerous jungle predator who can strike an any moment.  'Leaping Cat' is made up by auto journalists, because journalists get bored of typing the same name over and over again.

Red Bull/Toro Rosso are brand names in the sport specifically to promote brand awareness.  I would think if you're going to spend that much money, you want people to use the actual brand name.  And again. Red Bull/Toro Rosso are very evocative names (hence the original choice for the name).

Williams and McLaren certainly have been around long enough that I think a nick name would benefit them.  Something for sponsors to pick up on.  Certainly their history of being stodgy doesn't help.  Maybe we can think of something fun.  Now that Williams is being run by Claire, it's the first truly 'Next Generation' team in F1.  Bruce was happily associated with the Kiwi.  Why not slap that on the side of a modern McLaren?  That would make Alonso happy, he thinks the car is for the birds...

I suppose the 'Pink Panther' name does show the hard part of naming a team.  If the cars aren't going to look remotely the same year over year as sponsors and regulations change, it's hard to get something like 'Silver Arrows' to stick.  All the same, Jordan's 'Buzz'n Hornets' was a great way to get around tobacco advertising and create a fun nickname for his cars.

Panther Racing does have a nice ring to it... they used to race in IndyCar, but the name seems to be dormant for now. 
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Dare on June 21, 2017, 08:36:52 PM
You might have to check out the cultures of every country F1 has a
race as not to offend anyone. Here in the US using the name Rebel or
any Indian Tribe is frowned upon by the easily offended.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: John S on June 22, 2017, 09:37:34 AM
You might have to check out the cultures of every country F1 has a
race as not to offend anyone. Here in the US using the name Rebel or
any Indian Tribe is frowned upon by the easily offended.

Funny though that the Confederate (rebel) flag is in such common use.  ;)
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Alianora La Canta on June 22, 2017, 01:03:12 PM
You might have to check out the cultures of every country F1 has a
race as not to offend anyone. Here in the US using the name Rebel or
any Indian Tribe is frowned upon by the easily offended.

Funny though that the Confederate (rebel) flag is in such common use.  ;)

They always call it the Southern or Confederate flag, though, and even then it's controversial in some circles.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Irisado on June 24, 2017, 12:26:32 PM
'Leaping cat' would have been an appropriate name for Jaguar, given their poor performance over the years.

As for Force India, I've never been a massive fan of the name, so if they could come up with a better one, that would be okay in my book.  That said, I fear that they'd probably choose a worse name, as that's the way choices seem to drift these.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on June 29, 2017, 07:14:26 PM
How does 'Force One' strike you as a name?

For me... it sounds like an Americanized Japanese cartoon.

GPUpdate reports this as the likely, though unconfirmed, name

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/355160/force-india-set-to-change-name-for-2018/ (http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/355160/force-india-set-to-change-name-for-2018/)
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: cosworth151 on June 29, 2017, 09:45:57 PM
How about just The Force? Maybe Obi-Wan Kenobi could do one of his mind control things to make Ocon & Perez to stop taking each other out of races.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Alianora La Canta on June 30, 2017, 01:40:56 AM
How about just The Force? Maybe Obi-Wan Kenobi could do one of his mind control things to make Ocon & Perez to stop taking each other out of races.

 :DD Thank you, this frustrated-at-her-own-team fan needed this!
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: John S on June 30, 2017, 02:55:02 AM
If it's to be Force one their new nickname will have to be '2 effing 1s' instead of FIF1..... because FOF1 sounds daft.  :D
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Irisado on July 07, 2017, 05:59:15 PM
Force One sounds like a parody of Star Wars and not a very good one at that.  I hope that they come up with a better name than that.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: lkjohnson1950 on August 04, 2017, 04:06:42 AM
Here's one that's obviously a very long shot, but David Brabham may team with our Bernie to buy FIF1 and rename it ....BRABHAM!!

http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/former-f1-driver-david-brabham-mum-possible-f1-deal-bernie-ecclestone?utm_source=RacingDaily20170803&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=headline-center&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awracingdaily (http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/former-f1-driver-david-brabham-mum-possible-f1-deal-bernie-ecclestone?utm_source=RacingDaily20170803&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=headline-center&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awracingdaily)
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Scott on August 04, 2017, 10:56:15 AM
Business Partner with Bernie = suicide/bankrupcy  :crazy: :crazy:
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on August 04, 2017, 03:01:30 PM
Here's one that's obviously a very long shot, but David Brabham may team with our Bernie to buy FIF1 and rename it ....BRABHAM!!

http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/former-f1-driver-david-brabham-mum-possible-f1-deal-bernie-ecclestone?utm_source=RacingDaily20170803&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=headline-center&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awracingdaily (http://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/former-f1-driver-david-brabham-mum-possible-f1-deal-bernie-ecclestone?utm_source=RacingDaily20170803&utm_medium=enewsletter&utm_term=headline-center&utm_content=body&utm_campaign=awracingdaily)

I like the idea.  Imagine what the next Concorde will look like with Bernie on the OTHER side of the table!  Will be a golden era for the teams
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Robem64 on January 24, 2018, 12:44:46 PM
So this name change is being considered......again

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/146908-force-india-closing-in-on-name-change-146908 (http://www.racer.com/f1/item/146908-force-india-closing-in-on-name-change-146908)
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Jericoke on January 24, 2018, 03:09:08 PM
So this name change is being considered......again

http://www.racer.com/f1/item/146908-force-india-closing-in-on-name-change-146908 (http://www.racer.com/f1/item/146908-force-india-closing-in-on-name-change-146908)

Maybe the rules have changed, but isn't there a deadline for when a team name has to be registered to be 'official'?  Hence BMW Sauber when BMW was no where to be found?
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: cosworth151 on January 24, 2018, 08:14:45 PM
This team ran afoul of that in a previous incarnation. When Eddie sold the team in late 2004, it was too late for a name change. It had to run the 2005 season as Jordan instead of Midland.
Title: Re: Force India Might Change Names (again)
Post by: Alianora La Canta on January 24, 2018, 08:51:21 PM
I hope they remembered to buy the website first this time...

...and yes, they would be too late to officially be called Force India for 2018 using the standard route; that's set on the race entry documentation that on this occasion was submitted (I think) in the last week of September. Unanimous vote from other teams would allow the change, but given that Force India are not flavour of the month with bigger teams, I don't see them getting that approval.

Fortunately there's a planned shared element, so expect them to simply emphasise the "Force" bit throughout 2018.
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