Force India relaxed about missed test

Date published : 09 Feb 2010 - 10:23:16

Force India's new chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer is confident that the team's decision to skip the first winter test at Valencia in favour of more design time in the factory was the right one. Of the established Formula 1 teams, only Force India and Red Bull missed the Valencia sessions last week, with both sending their 2010 cars out on track for the first time at Jerez tomorrow. "It was a strategic decision," said Szafnaeur, a former senior Honda figure who was recruited by Force India last year when McLaren man Simon Roberts' stint on loan to the team ended. "By missing the first test, we can gain a little bit more development time - a little bit longer in the tunnel, a little bit longer thinking about what's important on the car. "It was just a trade-off decision. "We completed a shakedown day before the testing started that regains a little bit of what we've lost." Szafnauer reckons Force India is already working more efficiently this year than it has in the past. "There are two big improvements from 2009," he explained. "One has been the increase in our CFD [Computational Fluid Dynamics] resource, thanks to a new partnership with CRL in India, which has increased our capacity by five-fold. "The other principal area has been the utilisation of the wind tunnel to a greater extent, almost 24/7. "Coupled together this has allowed us to take great steps forward. "Last year Simon Roberts also instilled some very good processes and procedures that have also helped to refine our procedures, communications within the company and ultimately the decision making process. "Simon did a great job in doing that, and I'm going to carry that forward." Having previously worked for a massive manufacturer team, Szafnauer said he was enjoying being at a team of Force India's size and nimbleness. "With half the people of a big team we design a good car and the wind tunnel guys do a very good job in getting the numbers that are required," he said. "You just don't have the time or resources available to waste, so you just get on with the job."