Catch-up Session – Weeks No. 50 and 51
Like a Christmas gift arriving early, Motorsinside.com offers you a complete recap of the last two weeks. Through this article, you’ll learn everything about F1 news from Monday, December 7 to Sunday, December 20, 2009. On the agenda, intense transfer news over these past two weeks. No fewer than four drivers have secured a seat […]
Like a Christmas gift arriving early, Motorsinside.com offers you a complete recap of the last two weeks. Through this article, you’ll learn everything about F1 news from Monday, December 7 to Sunday, December 20, 2009. On the agenda, intense transfer news over these past two weeks. No fewer than four drivers have secured a seat for 2010. Of course, there are those disappointed and increasingly fewer available spots out of the 26 for the upcoming year. Following the worrying withdrawals of Honda, Toyota, and BMW-Sauber, the premier class of motorsport, especially France, was afraid of losing another manufacturer, namely Renault. The French team is saved and remains in Formula 1, and that’s the main thing! In the midst of the 2009/2010 offseason, the sport is being set up for the coming year. A new almost official calendar has been released, along with a new points system that takes into account the significant number of cars at the start of the 2010 races. Motorsinside.com focuses the spotlight on these two crucial elements in the world of Formula 1 in the upcoming months. Finally, directly related to the 2010 calendar, the British Grand Prix, after months of uncertainty, will indeed take place but where? Find out at the end of this article…
Transfers: The Latest News Before Christmas
The past two weeks have been full of twists in the transfer market. No fewer than four seats have been assigned to well-known Formula 1 drivers. The first team to reveal its driver lineup: Lotus. The famous car manufacturer had three drivers for two available spots. Jarno Trulli, Heikki Kovalainen, and Takuma Sato were in the starting blocks. Yet, one of them was informed the day before the official announcement that his name had not been retained. It is the Japanese Sato who misses out for the second time after Toro Rosso, last winter, on a return to the track. Trulli and Kovalainen are the lucky ones selected. It’s a satisfaction for both to find themselves with Lotus after being dropped by their teams under different circumstances. Trulli saw Toyota withdraw from the sport and Kovalainen was replaced by a world champion at McLaren. The second major announcement is not only the end of the driver lineup but especially the arrival of Virgin in F1 under the name Virgin Racing. Manor GP or GP Manor is now a thing of the past. Timo Glock had already been confirmed a few weeks ago and today it’s Luca di Grassi’s turn to be in the spotlight. The Brazilian thus leaves his position as Renault’s reserve driver to join a real race seat. Finally, it’s known that Sauber is the 13th team in the 2010 championship. The former BMW team has unveiled the name of its first driver. It will be Kamui Kobayashi who embodies the hopes of Peter Sauber’s team. The Japanese driver made a name for himself a few months ago when he replaced Timo Glock for two races. He delivered two outstanding performances that proclaimed him a great hope for the 2009 season. As of now, there are just a few seats remaining. The second at Mercedes GP possibly with the return of Michael Schumacher. That would be the highlight of this 2009/2010 transfer season. The second seat at Renault alongside Robert Kubica. The Frenchman Romain Grosjean still has the advantage. USF1 must reveal the names of its two drivers hopefully including Sébastien Bourdais. Sauber and Campos Meta must announce the names of Kobayashi and Bruno Senna’s teammates. Within the Spanish team, Pedro de la Rosa is still in a leading position. Based on the 2009 lineup, Nick Heidfeld and Kazuki Nakajima still need to find seats!
Official confirmation of Lotus drivers, Trulli and Kovalainen
Sato excluded from negotiations with Lotus
Official Announcement of di Grassi at Virgin Racing
Official announcement of Kobayashi at Sauber
Renault will not be the 4th team to leave Formula 1 in 2009
It’s a sigh of relief that all the Losange fans sighed a few days ago. After weeks of uncertainty, Renault will indeed be in F1 next year and will retain its French identity. The condition was to give part of its capital to a Luxembourg company, Genii Capital. The goal is to help the team secure its future in the championship during this time of crisis. The French team thus reaffirms its commitment to the pinnacle of motorsports. Genii Capital, a company specializing in new technologies, will be present to contribute to the overall reduction of costs. As such, and this is a second piece of good news, Red Bull Racing renews its trust in Renault for engine supply. It’s an opportunity for the French manufacturer, which finds in this collaboration a source of income.
Renault continues to power Red Bull
Between points system and calendar, F1 gets a makeover in 2010
With 26 cars on each starting grid in 2010, it was somewhat expected, but the revelation of a new points system by the Federation still brought a bit of surprise. Now the top 10 finishers in each race will score points. The three drivers on the podium are, of course, the most advantaged as they will win 25, 20, and 15 points respectively, a significant change from this year’s 10, 8, and 6 points. The fourth and fifth will also score substantial points with an additional 10 and 8 units. Finally, from sixth to tenth, 17 points will be distributed with a scale of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. The benefit is twofold, as the winner and more broadly, the top three are much better rewarded than this season. We recall Bernie Ecclestone’s desire to honor the top three with medals… Well, they’re not far off! If a driver were to win all the races next season, his total would reach 475 points! This is because there will be 19 races in 2010 with a 5% margin of maneuver. The only element of uncertainty lies in the new Korean Grand Prix, which has not yet received full FIA approval for its circuit. Furthermore, progress is being made and the schedule is being fully respected. Noteworthy is the return of Canada in Montreal, the season opening in Bahrain, and ending in Abu Dhabi. There are still four ‘international’ races before arriving in Europe in the spring. Spain and Monaco will follow one another before Turkey, while the European GP in Valencia will take place before the summer break, which will still last four weeks. Finally, France remains the major absentee, while Great Britain has finally chosen its circuit…
Official announcement of a new points system in 2010
The almost official 2010 calendar
Donington Park out, Silverstone remains on the calendar!
Indeed, Silverstone is and will definitively remain the British circuit hosting Formula 1. After months of negotiations to give Donington Park a week here and there, Bernie Ecclestone made the decision and Silverstone remains the host. An agreement had to be reached between the FOM and the BRDC, and it was a success since 17 years of trust have been signed. Following this announcement, ticket sales for the 2010 race soared because in Great Britain, a race at Silverstone is an institution!
Confirmation of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone in 2010
Record ticket sales for Silverstone 2010
