Spyker

Spyker
Constructor Information
Full Name	Etihad Aldar Spyker F1 Team
Years Active	2007
Notable Staff	Colin Kolles James Key Michiel Mol Mike Gascoyne
Notable Drivers	Adrian Sutil Christijan Albers Markus Winkelhock Sakon Yamamoto
Formula One World ChampionshipCareer Statistics
Seasons Active	2007
Races	17
Poles	0
Fastest Laps	0
Point	1
Constructor Titles	0
Driver Titles	0
First Race	2007 Australian Grand Prix
Latest Race	2007 Brazilian Grand Prix

Spyker F1 Team was a Dutch constructor that competed in the Formula One World Championship in 2007. The Team was created by Spyker Cars after their buyout of Midland. At the end of the season, the team was bought and renamed to Force India.

2007 Season Summary

Spyker entered Formula One officially at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix under the management of Colin Kolles, with technical leadership from James Key and Mike Gascoyne. The team fielded the Spyker F8‑VII, a car designed in-house and powered by a 2006-spec Ferrari 056 V8 engine on Bridgestone tyres. Mid-season, a “B-spec” chassis, the F8‑VIIB, was introduced in an effort to boost performance.

Despite their enthusiasm, Spyker struggled at the back of the grid until the highlight of the season at the rain-affected Nürburgring European Grand Prix, where debutant Markus Winkelhock, having gambled on wet tyres, surprisingly led several laps before retiring. Later in Japan, Adrian Sutil captured the team’s sole championship point in the F8‑VIIB, securing a 10th place in the Constructors' Championship.

By mid‑2007, rising costs and strategic challenges forced Spyker’s shareholders to sell. In September, Orange India Holdings (backed by Mallya and Mol) acquired the team, and it competed as Force India from the 2008 season onwards.

Legacy

Although short-lived, the Spyker F1 Team marked the Netherlands’ return to constructor status—the first since Boro Racing in 1976–77. Its single point and fleeting moments of brilliance underscored the challenges faced by modern privateer teams. If only briefly, Spyker carried the national orange to the global stage, and after its departure, the same infrastructure continued under Force India, Racing Point, and ultimately Aston Martin.

Team

• Team Principal: Colin Kolles (2007)
• Technical Director: James Key (2007)
• CEO: Michiel Mol (2007)
• Chief Technology Officer: Mike Gascoyne (2007)

Seasons

Year	Name	Car	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	WCC Results	Test Drivers	Report
2007	Etihad Aldar Spyker F1 Team	F8-VII F8-VIIB	Ferrari	B	Christijan Albers Adrian Sutil Markus Winkelhock Sakon Yamamoto	10th (1 pt)	Markus Winkelhock Adrian Valles Fairuz Fauzy Giedo van der Garde	Report

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