F1 Team Force India's Name Change Plans Compromised By 'Cybersquatters'

Formula 1 team Force India's plans to change its name for '18 have been compromised by "cybersquatters" who have registered website domains that the team "might potentially want to use," according to Adam Cooper of MOTORSPORT. Team Owner Vijay Mallya confirmed several months ago that he wanted to drop India from the team name "to widen its appeal to sponsors." Force One "was a strong candidate initially." The team's management is "still debating whether to retain Force as part of the name, or start afresh." However, the first option has been "impacted by many variations on the Force/F1 website name having been lodged by third parties in recent weeks." Deputy Principal Bob Fernley said, "The problem we have is that when it gets out in the media every man and his dog goes and registers domain names! And that makes our life so difficult" (MOTORSPORT, 11/26).