Zoom Something of a holding season, 2009 will be critical

Vijay Mallya knew it would be a tough season with the renamed VJM01 chassis but a year on from taking over and renaming Force India, the team co-owner remains upbeat over the longer-term future of the Silverstone-based squad.

Singapore was a difficult weekend for the team in many respects, but can you take some positives away from the race?
"I am a great optimist. In any situation there are positives and, even though you cannot gloss over problems, you really need to build on the good parts and make sure that the negatives are not repeated. Yes, we were off the pace in some sessions. Yes, we didn't get two cars to the finish, but as a team we functioned very well. Accidents can, and always will, happen but getting Fisi's car out again and then getting him to the finish, having run in third place, was an achievement. It was a tough weekend for everyone, but we all pulled together. That's the sign of a good team."

What do you expect from the team in Japan?
"The same I expect every time we go racing - reliability, dedication, enthusiasm and passion. I understand it's difficult, but Formula One is so competitive now that you can't let your game slip for one second. Of course I'd like to see points and Q2, but let's be realistic."

It's now almost exactly one year to the day that you finalised the purchase of the Spyker Formula One Team. Will this be a time for reflection?
"There are always times for reflection - the day I first came to the factory, the first time I saw Force India colours on the car, the first time I stepped into the garage as a team owner. Although these milestones always give us a chance to look back and think, we have to look forwards rather than backwards. We have strong foundations, but we need to build on them now. We always said this would be a tough year, but we've got to deliver now."

How has the team been received back home in India?
"When I announced our intention to buy the team, the TV audience figures exploded and print media went wild. I've never seen so many headlines on Formula One in India! Normally cricket is the only sporting event that makes the front pages, but now it's also motorsport. I'm pleased to say that the interest has been sustained. More media than ever - and I'm not just talking smaller, specialised press, but also national newspapers with a circulation of millions - are covering F1 and are really behind the team. The general public too has embraced Force India. We're here, we're competing on a world class stage and we are holding our own - every Indian can be proud that we've done that."