Buzzin F1 – Formula One Blog

McLaren Mercedes 2010

With only three-days to go until the start of the Formula One 2010 season things are really hotting up, new cars, new faces or old faces in different cars, the excitement is building ready for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will be racing against his new team-mate, 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren team boss has already stated that it is inevitable that their will be a falling out between the two before the end of the season.

Here is an exclusive interview with the two World Champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, for McLaren Mercedes F1, previewing the upcoming season.

Get behind the wheel as Button and Hamilton give the ‘inside track’ on the Bahrain Grand Prix.

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Sir Stirling Moss

It has been reported that the British racing hero Sir Stirling Moss was seriously injured at the weekend after falling three storeys down a lift shaft at his home.

The 80-year-old was reported to have broken both ankles, other broken bones in his feet and suffered damage to his vertebrae.  He has been recovering in the intensive care unit of the Princess Grace Hospital in London where it has been announced that his life is no longer in danger.

Despite the stringent tests applied by the FIA when selecting the four new teams to compete in the upcoming 2010 F1 Championship, one of their chosen few US F1 have failed to make the grade and fulfill its obligations to F1, withdrawing their entry at the eleventh hour.

The US F1 team have continually struggled to perform at any level and before the end of 2009 were already talking about missing the opening races.

Instead of stepping in then the FIA have allowed the team to continue going nowhere until their withdrawal. In the meantime Stefan GP have long been campaigning to replace the ill stricken US team and have even received the backing of Bernie Ecclestone.

They have a car that is ready to race and we are led to believe drivers and sponsors in place, but the FIA have rejected the opportunity to fill the race grid for 2010 claiming that it is too late to accept a new entry.

Personally I feel that the FIA have let down the F1 supporters by not giving the place to what appears a well funded team who are ready to race having acquired the race cars from Toyota, following their withdrawal from the series.

Furthermore it appears that another of the teams Hispania F1, the re named Campos outfit are so far behind schedule that although they will make up the numbers at the opening race in Bahrain they have had hardly any chance to test the car and will almost certainly be playing catch up with the pack for the whole season.

In a statement issued by the FIA it said that US F1 had indicated that it would not be in a position to participate in the 2010 F1 Championship, adding; “Having considered the various options, the FIA confirms that it is not possible for a replacement team to be entered for the Championship at this late stage.”

The full entry list for F1 2010 is:

1 Jenson Button (GB) McLaren-Mercedes

2 Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes

3 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes

4 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes

5 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull-Renault

6 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault

7 Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari

8 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari

9 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Williams-Cosworth

10 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Williams-Cosworth

11 Robert Kubica (Pol) Renault

12 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Renault

14 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India-Mercedes

15 Vitantonio Luzzi (Ita) Force India-Mercedes

16 Sébastien Buemi (Swi) Toro Rosso-Ferrari

17 Jaime Alguersuari (Spa) Toro Rosso-Ferrari

18 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Lotus-Cosworth

19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth

20 TBA HRT-Cosworth

21 Bruno Senna (Brz) HRT-Cosworth

22 Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) BMW Sauber-Ferrari

23 Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) BMW Sauber-Ferrari

25 Timo Glock (Ger) Virgin-Cosworth

26 Lucas di Grassi (Brz) Virgin-Cosworth

On paper the 2010 Formula 1 Championship looks set to be the most exciting for years, with new teams, new drivers and new rules and regulations hogging the sports headlines almost as much as the return to racing of  the legendary Michael Schumacher.

Three new teams were selected to join the 2010 grid back in the summer of 2009, US F1, Campos Meta and Manor Grand Prix/Virgin Racing and the iconic name of Lotus was later added following the withdrawal of BMW Sauber. Under new management the Sauber team were later included in the championship after Toyota withdrew.

The many changes in F1 have been difficult to keep up with, not only with the new teams, but also new drivers and new regulations. One of the major changes in the rules for me is that refuelling during the race will be abolished for the 2010 season, the first time since 1993.

It seems ironic that refuelling was first introduced to create more excitement in the sport that was in serious danger of losing it’s loyal following due to the predictability of results and outcries of processional racing.

Regardless of the changes one thing that remains constant in F1 as with all sports, is that  attending a ‘live’ event at whatever venue is an experience not to be missed.

There are often many packages offered in the sports pages of UK newspapers, but for those wishing to make their own way to events there are F1 tickets available for the whole 2010 calendar at prices to suit most pockets.

The full F1 2010 calendar:

Bahrain GP Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir    14 March

Australian GP Australia Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne     28 March

Malaysian GP Malaysia Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur     4 April

Chinese GP People’s Republic of China Shanghai International Circuit     18 April

Spanish GP Spain Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona     9 May

Monaco GP Monaco Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo     16 May

Turkish GP Turkey Istanbul Park    30 May

Canadian GP Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal    13 June

European GP Spain Valencia Street Circuit     27 June

British GP United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit     11 July

German GP Germany Hockenheimring     25 July

Hungarian GP Hungary Hungaroring, Budapest    1 August

Belgian GP Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa     29 August

Italian GP Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza     12 September

Singapore GP Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit     26 September

Japanese GP Japan Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka     10 October

Korean GP South Korea Korean International Circuit, Yeongam     24 October

Brazilian GP Brazil Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo    7 November

Abu Dhabi GP United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit     14 November

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McLaren 2009

It has been confirmed that the former seven-time World Champion F1 driver Michael Shumacher has signed to race for the Mercedes GP team in 2010.

The 41-year-old will drive alongside fellow German Nico Rosberg in the Formula One championship next season, ending months of rumours and speculation of his return to the series following his retirement in 2006.

Schumacher said;

“Mercedes Grand Prix Petronas represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context.  It is a new chapter in my racing career, and I am really looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme.

I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship next year, and I am already looking forward to getting back onto the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my Formula 1 career – and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star.”