The Formula 1 season begins in Bahrain this weekend, and it’s a hotly anticipated new season. New rules, new drivers, more races, new teams and new cars bring much attention, but it is the return of some greats which have most fans on the edge of their seat.
The return of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher has the Formula One world hoping for great racing between he and the three other world champions in the field: Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
With the 2010 season finally here, it’s time to take a look at what will really be firing up the fans.
Races
The Formula 1 circus travels to 19 races far and wide this year for just the second time. The season kicks off in Bahrain instead of Australia this year, whilst tracks returning to the series include Montreal, which will delight the hundred or so F1 fans in North America, and Hockenheim in Germany comes back while the fabulous Nurburgring has the year off.
The Korean GP is a brand new Grand Prix circuit coming on board, but looks to be another ‘Tilkedrome’ with a counter clockwise circuit in two halves – one straights, one vaguely inspiring corners with a few hairpins that offer some chance of overtaking. It should be no surprise that the track is on a marina too, like Monaco, and now Valencia, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and the Korean ‘Yeongam’ circuit.
Circuits hanging in there include Malaysia, which last year was a complete disaster with monsoon rains, and Istanbul, which attracts little interest from the Turkish public and must be making a huge loss.
Drivers
The biggest story amongst the drivers in 2010 is the return of the Schu. The prodigal son Michael Schumacher returns, although perhaps as more of a grandfather than a son. Statistically the greatest driver in Formula 1 history is back on a three-year contract as a 41 year-old who hasn’t raced since 2006. Importantly, he is racing for the new Mercedes team rather than his old team of Ferrari. It will be fascinating to see just how well he will go. Mark Webber summed up most peoples thoughts this week: “It will be a bloody hard season for Schumacher.”
Elsewhere, the two most recent world champion drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton are in the McLaren team, giving the Brits plenty to cheer for. The other big move of note is Fernando Alonso’s move to Ferrari from Renault to join Felipe Massa who is delighted to be back from the serious spring-to-the-head-at-180kms injury at last year’s Hungarian GP.
A host of new drivers also line up for new teams, including exciting talents Kamui Kobayashi and Nick Hulkenberg. Australian Mark Webber continues for Red Bull alongside his talented teammate Sebastian Vettel, looking to keep him very honest. In another boon for the Aussie’s, West Australian Daniel Ricciardo lines up as the reserve driver for Red Bull Racing following his impressive performance in F1 testing, and his performance in Formula Three in ’09. Ricciardo may well find himself starting on the grid mid-year should the young line up in the sister Red Bull team Toro Rosso fail to impress.
Teams
New teams looking for glory, old teams hoping for a return to glory and the midfield hoping to win enough races to pay the bills. There is a likely top four teams, and a likely bottom three teams.
The factory Mercedes team returns, scrubbing the Brawn name from the team that won the Constructor’s championship in 2009. With more money to spend on development, Ross Brawn at the helm, and Schumacher driving, the team will have a big chance of success.
Ferrari will be hoping for a better season with a rare fall from grace last year.
McLaren have the two most recent championship winning drivers plus a controversial trick rear-wing that gives them a speed boost. If the stewards deem it legal, it will be copied by the other teams in record time but McLaren may have an edge at least at the start of the season.
Red Bull is the other real chance, with the aero-whiz Adrian Newey designed car from last year being copied by all and sundry. Red Bull will be hoping he has a new bag of tricks in store for this year. These four teams are the likely front-runners, with midfielders Renault, Williams, Toro Rosso and Force India chasing for an upset podium or two.
Newcomers include a return to F1 for the green and yellow livery of historic Lotus, and Sauber who are the old BMW team. Richard Branson’s Virgin GP are also on board and look to be the most likely to move upwards during the season. USF1 fell in a heap and won’t make it, whilst Hispania Racing have made it to the grid, but in a car that hasn’t yet seen the track. A brave move. The learning curve is likely to be vertical for the newcomers.
Whilst Sauber is powered by a Ferrari engine, the new teams are powered by Cosworth engines which make a return to F1 and are an unknown quantity at this stage.
Rules
The biggest rule change this year is the ban on refuelling, meaning no pitstops for fuel. The field will revert to traditional Grand Prix racing with cars starting around 160kg heavier than they will be at the end once the fuel burns off. Whilst the refuelling ban has its critics, I’m all in favour of better qualifying, better racing, better comparisons between drivers, and real overtaking on the track.
Pit stops will now be for tyres only, and pit crews are expected to be able to change the tyres in three seconds or less. There are also less tyre sets available over a GP weekend, meaning we will see teams try to conserve tyres.
The points system has been changed too, with more points on offer for the winner of a Grand Prix in an effort to encourage drivers to go for the win rather than settling for a points paying result. There are more generous points on offer lower down the order too to encourage the midfield teams.
The other major change is that the kinetic recovery system or KERS will not be used by teams this year, meaning no more speed boosts for teams who have it on board.
It’s set to be a big year. The cars will hit the track for the first Grand Prix practice session at 6pm AEST time with the race run 11pm AEST Sunday night.
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