In December 2018, the FIA's first release of the 2019 Formula One World Championship entry list confirmed that Racing Point intended to drop the Force India name, and would contest the 2019 championship as a new constructor named Racing Point F1 Team.[7]
In the build-up to the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, the team was unsure if they would be able to race as the consortium that won the bid to buy Force India team had to get the approval of 13 Indian banks that had financial claims on the team.[6] The full approval arrived after the deadline, so the consortium purchased the old team's assets rather than buy the team itself. The newly-formed team then had to apply for participation in the Formula One World Championship under a new name while retaining the chassis name as part of the new constructor name – thus resulting in the adding of "Racing Point" to the "Force India" chassis constructor's name.[6] The FIA excluded the former Force India entry from the championship "due to its inability to complete the season", and welcomed the new entity (Racing Point Force India F1 Team) that was able to race in the Belgian Grand Prix, but was not allowed to retain any points of the old team. The drivers, however, were able to keep their points in the Drivers' Championship.[6][8] Under a special agreement, and with unanimous approval of the nine other teams, the new team was allowed to keep the prize money the old team had earned in the preceding years under the Sahara Force India name.[9]
At the Belgian Grand Prix, Force India achieved 3rd and 4th place during a qualifying which was hit by rain during the final part. In the race they managed 5th and 6th place, thereby collecting 18 points allowing them to take the 9th place in the Constructors' Championship at the conclusion of their first Grand Prix.[10] They finished the next race in Italy in 6th and 7th, therefore jumping to 7th in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of Sauber, Toro Rosso and Williams. The Singapore Grand Prix was a disaster for the team with no points finishing as Sergio Pérez collided with his teammate Esteban Ocon on the opening lap. Ocon retired instantly before Pérez collided with Sergey Sirotkin and finished the race 16th. Racing Point Force India collected 52 points in total in the 2018 season and finished the season in 7th, 4 points ahead of Sauber and 7 points behind McLaren.
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Although World Championship races held in 1952 and 1953 were run to Formula Two regulations, constructors who only participated during this period are included herein to maintain Championship continuity. Constructors whose only participation in the World Championship was in the Indianapolis 500 races between 1950 and 1960 are not listed.
Esteban Ocon
Sergio Pérez
