2010 Formula 1 Season Build-Up

[Wouter Melissen]

I guess Sauber are hoping to keep Heidfeld in the other seat, but he's really in the box seat to pick up a drive at Mercedes. The only obstacles there are the small chance Schumacher would return or the chance Kubica wants out of Renault. Either way, Heidfeld could take Kubica's place at Renault but next years Sauber shouldnt be a bad car. Out of them and Toyota, theyre the ones more likely to replicate something like what Honda and Brawn achieved.

I don't think anyone will pull a Brawn in 2010. The rule changes are nowhere near extensive enough to make that possible.

[RacingManiac]

Well the large tank of gas can still play havoc with the design, since we are talking about something that'll take up 3 times more space(and weight) than it used to, stuff gets moved around and your tire wear will be affected quite a lot....on top of the fuel economy issue that I am pretty sure some are worse than others....

[LeonOfTheDead]

Well the large tank of gas can still play havoc with the design, since we are talking about something that'll take up 3 times more space(and weight) than it used to, stuff gets moved around and your tire wear will be affected quite a lot....on top of the fuel economy issue that I am pretty sure some are worse than others....

IIRC the size of the fuel tank with be double than what the average team had this year. Basically all of them could already make half a GP without refueling if not even more.
That's a lot of stuff nonetheless, but I agree with Wouter. Even if these changes could favorite certain designs and teams, there shouldn't be a performance difference as large as there was at the beginning of this year and so large to help a team with less updates than the competitors to still grab both titles.

[Chrischrill]

For Wouter Melissen and others who might be a bit confused as to who has been signed for what team, the following is a complete list of all the confirmed entrants of 2010.

No.     (Confirmed 2010 Drivers)
    Driver                 Constructor
1   Jenson Button          Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
2   Lewis Hamilton         Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
3   Nico Rosberg           Mercedes Grand Prix
4   - Unconfirmed -        Mercedes Grand Prix
5   Sebastian Vettel       Red Bull Racing
6   Mark Webber            Red Bull Racing
7   Felipe Massa           Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
8   Fernando Alonso        Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
9   Rubens Barrichello     AT&T Williams
10  Nicolas Hülkenberg     AT&T Williams
11  Robert Kubica          Renault F1 Team
12  - Unconfirmed -        Renault F1 Team
14  Adrian Sutil           Force India F1 Team
15  Vitantonio Liuzzi      Force India F1 Team
16  Sébastien Buemi        Scuderia Toro Rosso
17  - Unconfirmed -        Scuderia Toro Rosso
18  Jarno Trulli           Lotus F1 Racing
19  Heikki Kovalainen      Lotus F1 Racing
20  - Unconfirmed -        Campos Meta 1
21  Bruno Senna            Campos Meta 1
22  - Unconfirmed -        Team USF1
23  - Unconfirmed -        Team USF1
24  Timo Glock             Virgin Racing
25  Lucas di Grassi        Virgin Racing
TBA Kamui Kobayashi        Team Sauber F1
TBA - Unconfirmed -        Team Sauber F1

Interesting facts:

• Out of the 19 drivers confirmed so far, only 6 of them will begin the 2010 season where they started the 2009 season. This means that about 70% of the confirmed drivers for 2010 are new to the team they will drive for, or joined them mid-season 2009.

• So far, we have three confirmed drivers who have never participated in a Grand Prix before, and an additional driver who has completed less than one season. This means that about 15% (21% with Alguersuari) are rookies, if counting only the confirmed drivers.

• Out of 13 teams competing in 2010, only one of them will feature the same two drivers they did at the start of 2009, Red Bull. However, both Toro Rosso and Force India finished the 2009 season with the drivers they are (likely) to race with in 2010

[Homem de Gelo]

I doubt a half-worthy driver like Trulli would still be around if there was proper testing to develop pilots and cars. Kovalainen is at least much younger.

As for the point system, it changes very little. Nobody will admit it, but the real reason behind it was to get us interested over battles for 8th, 9th and 10th once the leaders become too spread appart. Now, if the FIA had not placed its head up its ass and overruled double diffusers once and for good when they had the chance...

[Wouter Melissen]

Now, if the FIA had not placed its head up its ass and overruled double diffusers once and for good when they had the chance...

What's your beef with double diffusers? Any team can use them. Honda asked the FIA about it back in the spring of 2008 and were given the go-ahead. Banning things that make cars go quicker seems illogical.

[LeonOfTheDead]

This guy has some problems.

Maranello, 18 December 2009 – There is a lot of talk about Michael Schumacher possibly making a Formula 1 comeback and this was one of the most discussed topics during the traditional seasonal meeting between Ferrari President, Luca di Montezemolo and the Italian and international media, which took place yesterday in Maranello.

“The real Schumacher, the one I know, will remain forever part of the Ferrari family. “I said it in Monza and I repeated it in Abu Dhabi,” said Montezemolo, before proceeding with some irony, “but, it seems he has a twin brother, identical in every way, who seems to have it in his head to go and race in Formula 1 with Mercedes. I don’t know him personally, but it seems we have nothing to offer him: we have two young drivers in Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, on whom we are counting to deliver a lot next year. Joking apart, Michael’s current role revolves around the development of our road cars, including the important phase which saw us launch the 458 Italia, which is the essence of technology and owes a lot to research carried out on track with the Formula 1 car. I think that, this summer, when I asked him to stand in for Felipe, after the terrible accident in Budapest, he suddenly rediscovered the desire to race and the fact he was unable to follow through with that, left him a void that we are unable to fill. I remember how despondent he sounded on the evening of 9 August, when he called me to say that the problem with his neck meant he could not race in Valencia. It’s lucky that, despite the unsporting stance of some, we were able to run him in the 2007 car at Mugello, otherwise Michael would not have been fully aware of his situation. We have tried to move forward with the idea of running a third car, but for the moment, that is not possible. I don’t know what he will decide for the future, but I extend to him and indeed his twin brother, my very best wishes.”

[twinspark]

Apparently Mr Montezemolo has some weird fetish about brothers, this isn't the first time.

[Wouter Melissen]

Maybe the translator did not get the sarcasm ...

[LeonOfTheDead]

Maybe the translator did not get the sarcasm ...

So Ralf is going to drive for MB?!
lol

[Ferrer]

So Ralf is going to drive for MB?!
lol

He already drove for Mercedes-Benz, didn't he?

[LeonOfTheDead]

He already drove for Mercedes-Benz, didn't he?

DTM, until 2007 I think.
Stop popping my bubbles

[henk4]

DTM, until 2007 I think.
Stop popping my bubbles

he drove DTM this season also

[Wouter Melissen]

DTM, until 2007 I think.
Stop popping my bubbles

He actually moved up to the Works team in 2009, with very little to show for it.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Ok, my bubble committed suicide.