Bob Fernley is a hugely visible presence for Force India, as deputy to team principal Vijay Mallya, he fills in when the boss is absent and takes on the jobs that Mallya is less keen on doing. Having been involved with Force India since the start, Fernley has helped guide the team as they try and rise through the F1 ranks.

Biography

Fernley has a rich history of managing racing teams, having owned several outfits in the US, particularly for the IndyCar series. He has a long association with Vijay Mallya, so when the businessman took over the ailing Spyker F1 team, it wasn’t long before Fernley joined the board.

The pair quickly overhauled the team, with Colin Kolles and Mike Gascoyne stepping down from top roles, to be replaced by Vijay Mallya as team principal, and Fernley as his deputy.

As Mallya doesn’t attend all the races, Fernley takes his place in terms of leading the team, talking to the media and taking part in press conferences. Between the two of them, Mallya and Fernley have helped turn the fortunes of the Silverstone-based squad around, and although still fighting in the mid-field, their lofty aims remain unfazed.