The Force India F1 Team is targeting a top five finish in the constructors' standings next season.
Deputy team principal Bob Fernley is optimistic that the team can do just that, although he admits that their success hinges on the new V6 Turbo power-units supplied by Mercedes.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the team fares in 2014. They switched focus to next year's challenger quite early on in 2013, hence why they failed to react to the changes made to the Pirelli tyres mid-season, and have a very promising driver line-up.
Nico Hulkenberg couldn't stay away from the team for long, returning after one season at Sauber. I rate the German driver very highly, so it will be interesting to see how his new team-mate Sergio Perez, who was dumped by McLaren after one year, fares alongside him.
Next year's regulations are dramatically different, with the new power-units taking centre stage. Force India finished 2013 in sixth place after briefly holding a spot in the top five early in the year. However, tyre woes meant they soon dropped behind McLaren and couldn't reclaim the position.
Fernley is hopeful that the team can break into the top five next year. "It has to be higher next year," he told AUTOSPORT. "If we have made the right decision on the powertrain, and we won't know that until we start running, we have got to be looking at podiums and at least fifth place next year. That will be the target.
"Obviously, we were the first [customer] team to sign our engine deal, which has been in place in March and we were probably one of the first teams to switch over to the 2014 design, so we are very optimistic."
Aerodynamic performance has proved to be the most significant factor in how competitive teams are in recent years, but the 1.6 litre V6 turbocharged engines look set to change that. They are expected to determine the order, at least for the first few races anyway.
Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault will all go head-to-head to see who has produced the best power-unit. If one supplier finds the sweet spot, we could see the team's powered by that one manufacturer dominate for the majority of the year.
Predicting a running order for next year is so unpredictable due to the changes. However, what we do know is that the engines will play a bigger role in sorting out the running order.
"The biggest differentiator will be the power unit, so what you need is a chassis that is going to be of good quality, but I don't think it is going to be as critical on the aero as in recent years", Fernley continued.
"That will change as time goes on, but certainly in the first half of next year and possibly all of next year, it's going to be all about the power units. There are so many variables with reliability, with ERS [energy recovery systems], with fuel-flow systems.
"Somebody is going to get it right, someone is going to get it wrong and what you don't know is which camp you are in. If we are in the camp that has got it right, then we are on the right track."
I'm really intrigued to see which "camp" everyone falls into. Will Force India get it right or wrong? We will have to wait until Australia to see the full story.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the team fares in 2014. They switched focus to next year's challenger quite early on in 2013, hence why they failed to react to the changes made to the Pirelli tyres mid-season, and have a very promising driver line-up.
Nico Hulkenberg couldn't stay away from the team for long, returning after one season at Sauber. I rate the German driver very highly, so it will be interesting to see how his new team-mate Sergio Perez, who was dumped by McLaren after one year, fares alongside him.
Next year's regulations are dramatically different, with the new power-units taking centre stage. Force India finished 2013 in sixth place after briefly holding a spot in the top five early in the year. However, tyre woes meant they soon dropped behind McLaren and couldn't reclaim the position.
Fernley is hopeful that the team can break into the top five next year. "It has to be higher next year," he told AUTOSPORT. "If we have made the right decision on the powertrain, and we won't know that until we start running, we have got to be looking at podiums and at least fifth place next year. That will be the target.
"Obviously, we were the first [customer] team to sign our engine deal, which has been in place in March and we were probably one of the first teams to switch over to the 2014 design, so we are very optimistic."
Aerodynamic performance has proved to be the most significant factor in how competitive teams are in recent years, but the 1.6 litre V6 turbocharged engines look set to change that. They are expected to determine the order, at least for the first few races anyway.
Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault will all go head-to-head to see who has produced the best power-unit. If one supplier finds the sweet spot, we could see the team's powered by that one manufacturer dominate for the majority of the year.
Predicting a running order for next year is so unpredictable due to the changes. However, what we do know is that the engines will play a bigger role in sorting out the running order.
"The biggest differentiator will be the power unit, so what you need is a chassis that is going to be of good quality, but I don't think it is going to be as critical on the aero as in recent years", Fernley continued.
"That will change as time goes on, but certainly in the first half of next year and possibly all of next year, it's going to be all about the power units. There are so many variables with reliability, with ERS [energy recovery systems], with fuel-flow systems.
"Somebody is going to get it right, someone is going to get it wrong and what you don't know is which camp you are in. If we are in the camp that has got it right, then we are on the right track."
I'm really intrigued to see which "camp" everyone falls into. Will Force India get it right or wrong? We will have to wait until Australia to see the full story.
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