The 2010 Formula 1 grid (Adam Teladia)

The 2010 Formula 1 grid

December 7, 2009 12:02 AM

The 2010 Formula 1 grid is taking shape now and a number have drivers now know who they will be driving for in 2010.

Some of the major changes we will see in 2010 are that we will have four new teams Manor GB, Campos Meta, US F1 and Lotus F1. Other new names will include Sauber who raced as BMW Sauber in 2009 and Mercedes who were Brawn GP in 2009. Other changes maybe yet to come as Renault have said they will announce whether they will participate in 2010 by the end of the year.

We are already aware of some changes as drivers. The most high profile moves were Jenson Button joining McLaren from Brawn GP and Ferrari confirming that Fernando Alonso will join them from Renault.

Of the four new teams only two have made any announcements on drivers for 2010 Manor GP (possibly to be rebranded as Virgin Racing) have confirmed that Timo Glock (previously with Toyota) will drive for them in 2010 and Campos Meta will have F1 debutant Bruno Senna. US F1 and Lotus F1 have yet to make any announcements as to who will be driving for them in 2010.

Mercedes will have Nico Rosberg as one of their drivers and we are waiting for them to confirm who will be their second driver. Rumour has it that Nick Heidfeld is being considered. Williams will have Rubens Barrichello (formerly Brawn GP) and Nico Hulkenberg another F1 debutant. Robert Kubica is supposed to be driving for Renault in 2010 but with Renault future in F1 uncertain who knows where he may end up now.

As things stand currently only Red Bull and Force India will start the 2010 season with the driver line up they finished the 2009 season with. Toro Rosso may join them however Jaime Alguersuari has not been confirmed for 2010.

So at present the line up for 2010 is:

Campos Meta - Bruno Senna

Ferrari - Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa

Force India - Adrian Sutil & Vitantonio Liuzzi

Lotus F1 -

Manor - Timo Glock

McLaren - Jenson Button & Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes - Nico Rosberg

Red Bull - Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber

Renault - Robert Kubica

Sauber -

Toro Rosso - Sebastien Buemi

US F1 -

Williams - Rubens Barrichello & Nico Hulkenberg

So with only five teams having confirmed their driver line ups for 2010 and the uncertainty with Renault there is still sometime to go before we know what the grid will look like in 2010.

We know that former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen has agreed to race in the 2010 World Rally Championship and so wont be on the F1 grid but others who drove in 2009 but not yet with a drive for 2010 are Heikki Kovalainen, Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso likely to stick with him), Jarno Trulli, Kamui Kobayashi, Kazuki Nakajima, Nelson Piquet Jnr, Nick Heidfeld (rumoured to be a possible Mercedes driver for 2010), Romain Grosjean and Sebastien Bourdais.

2010 could be a very interesting season in F1 especially if Ferrari and McLaren manage to get back to their best and if Red Bull can keep up their form from 2009. If Mercedes are as good as Brawn GP were then they could also make things in interesting.

I imagine that the new teams Campos Meta, Lotus F1, Manor and US F1 will have difficult first seasons as most teams have trouble but Force India who did well towards the end of 2009 could also have interesting season.

I'm looking forward to March 14 when the 2010 season should get underway in Bahrain.