No name change for Force India in 2018

Force India will not be taken over in 2018, team principal Bob Fernley has confirmed, ending speculation that the team could be rebranded during the current Formula 1 season. British drinks company Rich Energy are reportedly keen to take over the team.

Having emerged from the ashes of the Spyker team, which folded in 2007, Force India celebrated a 10th season in F1 last year, securing a second successive fourth-place finish in the standings.

William Storey, CEO of Rich Energy, said last week: "Formula One makes a lot of sense to support international expansion and motor racing is the sweet spot for our marketing function."

Although Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer suggested the team's striking pink kit and livery were "interim" during pre-season testing, although they now look set to remain in place until next year at least.

"It's a shareholders' decision, and they've got to take their time to get it right," Fernley told Autosport.

"They've got to decide where they want to go and how they want to position it – it's not something that you should be doing as a five-minute decision.

"Force India had a very clear brand objective when it was launched, and today it's a recognised brand within F1, so whatever you do for the future has to be really measured and well thought out.

"There's got to be a good reason for wanting to do it, and that has to come from the shareholders.

"It could happen in five years' time, it could happen in 10 years' time."

Rich Energy were reportedly close to completing a takeover earlier this month, with a mocked-up livery also produced.

But Fernley would not be drawn on the identity of exactly whose hands the team's future might lie in.

"It's one of those things where if I look at my file of people who have made enquiries about Force India, it's probably about a foot high," he added.

"If I look at the people who've gone beyond that, it's zero – I think that puts it into context.

"Have they made an approach to us? Yes, they have, but so have many other people, and it's gone nowhere."