BARCELONA, Spain - While the hills north of Barcelona echoed to the sound of turbo V6 engines on Thursday (Feb 19 2015) behind-the-scenes developments were also making noise.
Force India at last began its winter programme at the Circuit de Catalunya, 30km from this Mediterranean port city, but only with its 2014 cars and Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel.
Wehrlein was called up by his works employer to replace an ill Lewis Hamilton, leaving race regular Sergio Perez to step into his 2014 cockpit -mainly for Pirelli tyre tests. The really important action was apparently occurring behind the scenes.
VJM08 'PASSED ALL CRASH TESTS'
Germany's Auto Motor and Sport reported that Force India had "passed all the crash tests" with its delayed 2015 car, the VJM08. Correspondent Michael Schmidt said: "The second chassis has been completed and approved by the International Automobile Federation. All the dynamic and static crash-tests have been passed."