Force India will sport an unchanged driver line-up for 2009, retaining the services of Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil.
It had been rumoured that a McLaren-Mercedes driver would occupy one of the race seats next year following confirmation of a technical partnership deal between the two outfits.
Both McLaren test drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett were in the frame, along with Mercedes DTM driver Paul di Resta.
Force India boss Vijay Mallya put an end to the speculation confirming the retention of Fisichella and Sutil, while adding that he had high hopes for the team in 2009 following the deal with McLaren.
“I firmly believe that next year will be a huge opportunity for this team,” he said. “We have a new technical partnership with McLaren and Mercedes, a dynamic new management structure and now one of the most solid driver line-ups on the grid.
“We certainly welcomed the insight and advice of our new partners in this matter, however the choice was entirely ours based on the current talent available in the market today.
“In Giancarlo, Adrian and Tonio we have a wonderful balance between experience and ambition, and now complete consistency.”
