In 2007, Mallya and the Mol family from The Netherlands bought the Spyker F1 team for 88 million

euros. Season. Mol.

[10] [9]

The team changed its name to Force India F1 from the 2008

Team's car VJM-01 was named after its owners Vijay Mallya, Jan Mol and Michiel

[citation needed]

Mallya also represents India in the FIA World Motor Sport Council, where he has a seat from 2009 to 2013.
[11]

2009 was the year the Force India Formula One Team truly arrived in F1. One pole, one podium and one fastest lap signalled the end of obscurity and a tangible step towards becoming a front running team. In doing so, it was the first glimmer of the fulfilment of the dream laid by Dr Vijay Mallya and the Mol family on purchasing the team two years previous. The team was created in the final months of 2007 when Dr Mallya, owner of Indias iconic UB Group and Kingfisher Airlines, and Jan & Michiel Mol, Dutch e-commerce businessmen, founded a joint venture company named Orange India Holdings. The company bought the team from the Dutch car manufacturer Spyker Cars N.V. and the next year, in 2008, made history when the Force India F1 Team took to the track as the first-ever Indian Formula 1 team entered into the FIA Formula One World Championship. The team is based in Silverstone, UK, and will contest the 2010 championship, its third year of competition, with German Adrian Sutil and Italian Tonio Liuzzi as race drivers. Paul di Resta, from Scotland, will ably support Adrian and Tonio and test and reserve driver. Although still a relatively young team, Force India has a strong heritage and deep roots in the sport. It is built from the ashes of Jordan Grand Prix, which was established by Irishman Eddie Jordan in 1991. Although always one of the smaller teams in the field, it had a constant ability to run with the front teams and, at times, out-race them. Over time Jordan Grand Prix scored three victories and numerous podiums, becoming one of F1s most successful teams. In 2004 Jordan sold the team to the Midland Group and it was renamed Midland F1 Racing in 2005. Following the purchase of the team by Spyker Cars N.V. in 2006, it subsequently became the Spyker Formula One Team for the 2007 championship before Force India was created in the final months of that year. With its name and patriotic logo now incorporating the colours of the Indian flag and its chakra, the team has become a sporting representation of the emerging generation of young, success-hungry, fast paced global Indians and the growing strength of India as a nation.