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It comes as no surprise that Formula One team Force India has acquired new ownership, largely due to all its financial troubles in recent years. The entire story surrounding Sergio Perez has ended up ugly to say the very least and while it has been problems galore for much of this season, it now appears as if those days of turmoil are a thing of the past for the team.
Force India has been bought by Lawrence Stroll. Well, in theory, yes. Stroll has emerged as the biggest investor from a consortium and is the driving force behind the deal - perhaps buoyed by the idea of having his son Lance drive for his own team. But there are others who have been instrumental in the deal actually taking place - and they're all heavyweights in their own way.
Andre Desmarais from Canada comes from the seventh wealthiest family in the country and his wife is the daughter of a former Prime Minister of Canada, making his appointment a thoughtful one, to say the least. Jonathan Dudman from Great Britain is the head of Monaco Sports and Management and is known for looking after the financial and legal needs of a number of celebrities and personalities - the Strolls being one of them.
John Idol from the USA is the CEO of fashion brand Michael Kors and has been a long time friend of Lawrence Stroll. His interest in F1 was obvious when McLaren displayed the Michael Kors logo on their cars in 2016-17. John McCaw Jr. from the USA is also part of the deal and his family is best known for its telecommunications work. McCaw Jr. is into sports and has a part ownership in several leagues such as the MLB, NHL and NBA.
Michael de Picciotto from Switzerland is responsible for a company that deals in real estate as well as top-of-the-line yachts and planes making him a flamboyant choice for involvement in F1. Finally, Silas Chou from Hong Kong has been another long-time associate of Stroll, helping the Canadian build up Tommy Hilfiger while also working in Michael Kors with John Idol.
So there it is. A superstar line-up of investors backed by Lawrence Stroll that pretty much ensures Force India will be in safe hands from a monetary point of view. Whether they can prove themselves on the race track is what remains to be seen.
Can Force India turn into a force to be reckoned with? Let us know in the comments section.
