Paris - AFP
Force India is to be renamed Sahara Force India after India's only Formula One team unveiled a new investor on Wednesday, Sahara India Pariwar Group. A leading sports promoter and backer of the Indian cricket team, the Sahara Group has purchased a 42.5 percent stake in Force India at a cost of $100 million. The company becomes the Silverstone-based outfit's co-owner with Vijay Mallya, who also has 42.5 percent, with the remaining 15 percent in the hands of the Mol family. The announcement comes ahead of the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International circuit outside the capital New Delhi on October 30. Force India's two drivers, Adrian Sutil of Germany and Scotland's Paul di Resta, are placed 11th and 13th with 28 and 20 points respectively in the 2011 drivers' standings.