Archive for the ‘Drivers’ Category
February 4th, 2010 | 
Author: The Formula 1 2009 season was (in my opinion) the worst in recent years, but still better than the 2000 – 2005 seasons.
Now, 2010 is full of changes around the Formula 1 world, Jean Todt is now the president of the FIA, and I hope that this change can bring positive changes and ideas to the sport.
New teams are set to enter the grid, the return of the Lotus team to the tracks, a new venture from a United States team, and the evolution of the Campos and Manor teams from GP2 to Formula 1.
The future of the Sauber team remains unclear. Qadbak has purchased the team after BMW has dropped the Formula 1 program, but as it stands, they cannot compete as 14 teams in Formula One are not permitted.
Now, the bright light for Sauber is that Toyota has anounced that they are out of Formula 1, these can give Qadback/Sauber a position in the grid for next year.
Update: Sauber has been confirmed a spot for 2010, great news!!
Update: Manor team will be renamed to Virgin Racing.
Update: Schumacher is back!, I think that he must leave the opportunity to someone else. :p
Update: Stefan GP is ready to send their cars to Bahrain and take the spot of any new team that fails to show.
Update: Campos will be renamed Hispania Racing F1 Team
The Drivers are yet to be confirmed in almost all the teams, but we bring you the latest rumors and confirmations:
Mercedes (Brawn): Schumacher - Rosberg
Red Bull: Vettel – Webber
Mclaren: Hamilton – Button
Ferrari: Alonso – Massa
Williams: Barrichelo – Hulkenberg
Renault: Kubika – Petrov
Toro Rosso: Buemi – Alguersuari
Force India: Sutil – Liuzzi
Lotus: Trulli – Kovalainen
Hispania Racing: Senna – Chandhok
Virgin Racing: Glock – Di Grassi
Sauber: De la Rosa – Kobayashi
USF1: Lopez - Villeneuve? Summerton?
Stefan GP: Villeneuve – Nakajima
Confirmed
Posted in 
Fernando Alonso will this week be confirmed as a Ferrari driver for 2010 and beyond, according to reports.
Auto Motor und Sport claims the deal will be announced by the Italian team on Thursday at the Suzuka circuit in Japan.
Read the rest of this entry »
It has been confirme
d this afternoon that Giancarlo Fisichella has been released from his contract with Force India to join Ferrari for the remainder of the season, starting next weekend with the Italian Grand Prix.
“I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari” said Fisichella. “It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay [Mallya] to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous. I hope in my turn I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best.”
With Felipe Massa, currently recovering from injuries sustained in Hungary, out of action for the remainder of the season and test veteran Badoer failing to shine at both Valencia and Spa Francorchamps, the Italian team were left with little alternative other than to look elsewhere for the remainder of the season.
“Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari,” stated Force India team principal Vijay Mallya. “For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this.
“Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo’s long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India.
”
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was keen to praise the outgoing Badoer as well as welcoming Fisichella to the Italian team.
“We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season,” said Domenicali. “Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career that he is fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race.”
For Badoer, his final two Grand Prix were something of a “thank you” from Ferrari for his long standing service to the team as test driver. “We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he demonstrated in these circumstances,” said Domenicali. “It is a shame he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult.”
Ferrari is third in the constructors” championship and heading to its home race at Monza and will be looking to extend their 12 points cushion over the recovering McLaren Mercedes team.
Force India is expected to promote test driver Tonio Liuzzi to the race team in place of Fisichella with an announcement “in the coming days”.
Earl ALEXANDER
CAPSIS International
— FORMULA 1 VIP.COM Comment —
Great News!, Giancarlo is a great pilot, and he is reaching at last for a long and very desired dream and opportunity. We here at Formula 1 VIP, wish that he can prove to all the team owners, that he is still very competitive and ambitious. However, in the other hand… he will be just a test driver next year. Let’s wait and enjoy these last 5 races and wish for Fisico to win in Monza.