There’s been a lot happening in the F1 world over the last few weeks. Everything is beginning to slip into place for next season and the new teams which will be joining the grid are finalising their plans and announcing their drivers. With one notable exception, that is.
After some speculation as to whether Renault would continue in the sport or not, the team has finally announced that it will be on the 2010 grid after all, despite selling a 75% stake in the team to the Luxembourg company Genii Capital. The team will retain the Renault name and corporate identity. Polish driver Robert Kubica had signed to drive with the team but is said to be looking at the details of the new ownership before committing himself.
Not life-size.
Sauber has been awarded the final two slots on the gird after BMW agreed to sell the team back to original owner Peter Sauber. The Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi, who acquitted himself well during a couple of outings for Toyota at the end of this season, has signed to drive with for them in 2010.
Rumours continue to mount that Mercedes, which has bought the world championship winning Brawn team, is trying to lure Michael Schumacher out of retirement. Nico Rosberg is already signed up but the second seat remains vacant, despite Nick Heidfeld apparently having been lined up for it. Schumacher is contracted to Ferrari as a consultant but the Italian team has stated that it would not stand in his way if he wishes to resurrect his driving career with Mercedes. Watch this space.
The new Lotus team has announced that Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalianen will be its drivers next year. It gives the fledgling team a strong line-up, both drivers having won one Grand Prix each and with a number of years of F1 experience behind them.
Richard Branson’s Virgin company has bought the rights to the Manor Grand Prix team’s entry and the cars will be known as Virgin-Cosworths. Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi have been announced as the drivers, while Bruno Senna, nephew of the great Ayrton, will pilot one of the new Campos Dallara Cosworths.
Points for year of car in comments.
Which leaves just one team which has been conspicuously quiet of late. USF1 has made no announcements about its drivers or its plans and there are many who remain sceptical that the team will make it to the grid next year. The team’s website still consists of a single page proclaiming ‘America’s Formula One team on track in 2010 – coming soon’. It had better come soon because there isn’t a lot of time left. The North Carolina-based team insists that everything is on schedule however and it was rumoured a month ago that former Renault test driver Jose Maria Lopez was about to be signed. Nothing has happened as yet though.
So as 2010 rushes towards us over the horizon, the pieces for next year’s Formula One season are slowly falling into place. Expect more news and surprises in the next few weeks though.
