Force India is working on "plans to bring its Formula 1 operation under one roof" following its "most successful season," according to Lawrence Barretto of MOTORSPORT. The team finished fourth in the constructors' championship for the second successive year in '17, scoring a best-ever 187 points. As the team looks to "build on its success and take the next step," Force India wants to bring its entire operation onto one site by "enhancing its facility at Silverstone." Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer said, "Co-location helps a lot, if everyone is under the same roof, which we are not as we're split 75/25. Hopefully in two or three years' time, we'll have everyone under the same roof" (MOTORSPORT, 1/9).
CONTINUED INVESTMENT: In Northampton, Tim Redigolo reported the Mercedes F1 team in Northamptonshire, England, was "granted planning permission to build an extension which joins its main reception building to another currently housing a wind tunnel." Mercedes has been based in Brackley since it acquired a minority stake in the Brawn GP team in '10. The team retained its base and workforce in the county, "close to" the Mercedes-Benz F1 engine plant (formerly Ilmor Engineering) in Brixworth (CHRONICLE & ECHO, 1/8).
