Force India to use Toyota wind tunnel from 2015

Force India will use Toyota Motorsport's wind tunnel facilities in Cologne, Germany for all their aerodynamic testing for the 2015 FIA Formula One world championship and beyond.

The team said the switch to Toyota's facility, previously used by the Japanese manufacturer's F1 operation and widely regarded to be one of the best in the world, would strengthen their future aerodynamic and development capabilities.

"The decision to use Toyota's facility in Cologne is indicative of our ambitions to continue as a competitive force in Formula One," team principal and managing director Vijay Mallya explained.

"It's one of the most significant decisions in our history and gives us access to what is regarded as one of the finest wind tunnels in the world.

"We have used the facility previously on an ad hoc basis and we are aware of the advantages of basing all our aerodynamic research in Cologne. It will strengthen our approach and give us a solid base to build upon for the years to come."

Force India, who follow in Ferrari's and Caterham's wheel tracks in using the German facility, said their own wind tunnel will remain operational and "available for external customers".

While the Silverstone-based team finished sixth in this year's constructors' championship, just 26 points behind McLaren, they had been ahead of their rivals at the halfway stage of the season, and sat as high as second overall early on following Sergio Perez's podium finish in Bahrain.