Sunday, January 24, 2010

Formula 1 One 2010: The Final Pieces


Photo Credit: Mercedes GP


With under 46 days remaining before the start lights illuminate for the Bahrain Grand Prix, some Formula 1 teams are more prepared for the start of the 2010 season than others. Two veteran F1 teams with full driver lineups for the upcoming season (Ferrari and McLaren), are set to take the wraps off new cars later this week in press unveilings.

BMW Sauber, having named Pedro De La Rosa to join Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi this past week, are due to introduce their competition vehicle next Sunday. As BMW sold their stake of the team back to original owner Peter Sauber, expect the German auto company's name to be stricken from the team's banner as the 2010 cars are planned to run customer Ferrari engines. Sauber's ceremony will take place in Valencia, Spain in coexistence with the Renault F1 team without the lavish displays once the norm for Formula 1 car unveilings. Renault F1 continues to possess one of the few vacancies left for the established Formula 1 teams alongside Robert Kubica, ironically the former driver of the BMW Sauber team. Two more teams, Williams F1 and the high-profile Mercedes GP, are slated to show off their race cars one day after in the same Spanish locale. Red Bull Racing, Force India and Lotus are scheduled to show their team colours later in the month of February.

The US F1 Team, a 2010 Formula 1 start up once questioned for whether they'll even have a car ready for the March Bahrain debut, has publicized the headway they've been making through the past month. This week, one of the biggest announcements for the American Formula 1 team is set, some media outlets jumping to name the US F1 Team's first driver ahead of an impending announcement planned for Monday January 25th. Argentinian Jose Maria Lopez, a driver who has been associated with the US F1 Team since early December, is likely to be tabbed as the freshman F1 organization's first driver hiring in a press conference in his South American homeland. Lopez credentials include two seasons of GP2 and a test role with the Renault F1 team in 2006.


2010 Formula 1 Grid (As of January 25th)

McLaren F1
1. Jenson Button
2. Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes GP
3. Michael Schumacher
4. Nico Rosberg

Red Bull Racing
5. Sebestian Vettal
6. Mark Webber

Ferrari
7. Felipe Massa
8. Fernando Alonso

Williams
9. Rubens Barrichello
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Renault F1
11. Robert Kubica
12. TBD

Force India
13. Adrian Sutil
14. Vitantonio Liuzzi

Toro Rosso
15. Sebestian Buemi
16. Jaime Alguersuari

Lotus
17. Jarno Trulli
18. Heikki Kovalainen

Campos Meta
19. Bruno Senna
20. TRD

Virgin Racing
21. Timo Glock
22. Lucas di Grassi

US F1 Team
23. *Jose Maria Lopez* (Pending January 25th Announcement)
24. TRD









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