Force India F1 likely to change name before Australia

Force India is more likely than not to change name before the start of the new Formula 1 season in Australia, according to chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer.

Force India confirmed last year it was looking into changing its name for 2018 in order to make itself more appealing to sponsors, dropping the 'India' portion of its current identity.

A number of companies were registered under various names playing off the word 'Force', but the team appeared on the first FIA entry list for the 2018 season with its name unchanged.

The new VJM11 car was unveiled in the pit lane on Monday in Barcelona ahead of pre-season testing, with the Force India logo only appearing on the nose of the car and not on any team apparel or the driver suits.

"This is an interim shirt, and we'll get the real ones for the first race - a little bit like the car," Szafnauer said of the team shirts.

"We haven't quite decided [the name] yet, and it also needs to go through the formal approval process, and we haven't done that yet.

"We'll see. There's a probability that it will change by the first race."

Asked about the odds of a name change, Szafnauer said they were "higher than 50/50".

Force India race drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez will feature on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively in pre-season testing, with Formula 3 racer Nikita Mazepin getting the first run-out in the new VJM11 car on Monday in Barcelona.