Force India reshuffle technical department

Force India have been forced to reshuffle their technical department following the departure of their technical director James Key.

Key, who joined the Jordan Grand Prix team way back in 1998 and took up the post as technical boss in 2005, will be replaced by design director Mark Smith.

"I have spent the majority of my motor racing career within the team and although a difficult decision I felt the time was right for me to move on to new opportunities," Key said. "After four owners and various changes and challenges, to field a car that got a pole position and a podium seemed like a culmination of all the efforts.

"While I'm sad to leave a team I know so well, one which has allowed me to realise many ambitions within F1, I'm looking forward to a new start. The VJM03 is now up and running and early indications are good, I wish Force India all the very best for the next and coming seasons."

Smith worked 11 years for Jordan before stints at Renault and Red Bull. He returned to Force India in November 2007.

He will now be in charge of the whole design process at the team, according to principal Vijay Mallya.

"For Force India, we will now undergo a slight restructure where Mark will take responsibility for the whole design process and various departments within the drawing office and we are confident we will have both the resources and the personnel to continue our strong progress shown at the end of 2009," Mallya said.

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