1/43 Model Review: 2009 Force India VJM02 Mercedes

Background

Vijay Mallya released Mike Gascoyne and Colin Kolles from the team and made a late switch from Ferrari to Mercedes engines for the 2009 season. Major upgrades, first at Bahrain and then again at the European Grand Prix made the car more competitive, particularly on low downforce tracks at Belgium, where Fisichella scored pole position and chased Raikkonen home in second, and in Italy Sutil qualified second and finished fourth with the fastest lap. The team ended up 9th in the Constructors' Championship.

Minichamps

Minichamps 400090020

Similarly to the Toro Rosso, the team had 3 drivers during the year, but it's only the two drivers that started the year who get a model, so there's no Tonio Liuzzi's version of the car. It's another solid model from Minichamps, no real complaints, just a good representation of the VJM02.

Where are they now?

Force India

Force India brought stability to the former Jordan team having been sold and bought out three times in about as many seasons. From being tail enders, the team made steady progress finishing fourth in the Constructors (best of the rest) in 2016 and 2017. The team became known as the best 'pound for pound' team on the grid. Vijay Mallya's businesses had been struggling for some time before driver Sergio Perez instigated a scene of events that led the team into administration and a buyout by Racing Point. 

Adrian Sutil

Sutil raced for Force India for many years up until the end of 2011 and rejoined the team in 2013 before joining Sauber for a disappointing season in 2014. After a year as reserve driver at Williams, he has not been seen racing since. 

Giancarlo Fisichella

Fisichella finished off the 2009 season at Ferrari, but bowed out of the sport at the end of the season and has pretty much been racing Ferrari's ever since mostly in endurance racing. 

Vintantonio Liuzzi

Tonio Liuzzi enjoyed a reasonably good 2010 in the Force India, but was ultimately dropped at the end of the season. He joined upstarts Hispania Racing (HRT) where he trundled along at the rear of the grid for two seasons. Liuzzi has raced in endurance and stock car, as well as a few Formula E races since bowing out of F1