Buzzin F1 – Formula One Blog

Kamui Kobayashi

Kamui Kobayashi will make his full-time debut next season after it was confirmed that he will be driving for the Sauber F1 Team in 2010.

The Japanese driver drove as a replacement for the injured Toyota’s Timo Glock at the Brazilian Grand Prix of 2009, where he finished the race in tenth place and was later promoted to ninth.  After Glock was declared unfit for the following Abu Dhabi round of the championship, Kobayashi once again stepped into his shoes and took an impressive sixth place as he crossed the line, scoring his first championship points in only his second race.

The 23-year-old was expected to be given a full-time drive for the Toyota team in the 2010 championship until the teams withdrawal from the Formula One series.

Kobayashi said;

“Ever since the start of my career I have dreamed of racing in F1.  Now this dream has come true. I am very happy that my two races in 2009 have earned me a cockpit place.

I will do my very best for Peter Sauber’s team and I am proud to be able to carry on flying the Japanese flag in F1.”

Renault F1 2009

The Renault team will be lining-up on the grid for the 2010 season after securing a deal with Genii Capital and will be continuing under the Renault name.

The Renault team principle Bernard Rey said;

“I am delighted to welcome Genii Capital as our new strategic partner.  I am sure that their enthusiasm and business expertise will create a new dynamic for the team, the staff, and our partners. Altogether, we look forward to competing again at the highest level in Formula One.”

Genii Capital, is a Luxembourg-based company who specialises in new technologies, brand management and motor sport, headed by Gerard Lopez.

The Renault team statement read;

“Following the proposed sale of a large stake of Renault F1 team to Genii, both partners will operate the team together. The letter of intent signed by the two companies should be concluded in early 2010.

I am delighted to welcome Genii Capital as our new strategic partner as I am sure that their enthusiasm and business expertise will create a new dynamic for the team, the staff, and our partners.

Altogether, we look forward to competing again at the highest level in Formula One.

Today’s announcement also confirms Renault’s commitment and trust in the sport’s governing bodies to improve the green credentials of Formula One.”

The Renault team intend to continue to supply engines to the British-based team as well as the Red Bull team for 2010 and possibly 2011.

Lucas di Grassi - Renault Test Driver 2009

It has been confirmed that the Virgin Racing Team have signed Lucas di Grassi as their second driver for the 2010 season to drive alongside Timo Glock.

Di Grassi has spent the past four-years competing in the GP2 series, where he finished in within the top three riders of the championship standings  for three of the four seasons as well as being a test driver for the Renault F1 team.

The Brazilian driver said;

“I could never imagine a F1 debut as perfect as this one.  Entering F1 with John Booth and his crew, the same people with whom I won the 2005 Macau F3 race – one of the greatest successes in my career – is really beyond perfection I should say. And I believe I am ready for F1.

I have worked a lot during these years to get here and I believe it happened just in time. I always had great expectations about the day I would enter F1, and I should thanks everyone who was with me all these years, and I shall say John and his team are among those very people I consider helped me to get there much before we signed the F1 contract.

Being here with them makes more sense to me than to be with a veteran organisation. We will debut together, and that detail makes for a special bond too. I guess all that will make me stronger and more confident as I will be among old friends. I am ready to work twenty four seven and I am sure I will be able to contribute with the team efforts in every stage of our evolution in 2010.”

Lotus 91-10 (1982)

The new Lotus F1 Team have confirmed their drivers for the 2010 season as Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen along with third driver Fairuz Fauzy.

The team which is being backed by the Malaysian government, made the announcement today in Kuala Lumpa with the team boss Tony Fernandes stating that he had secured the perfect blend of experience, youth and ambition to get the Lotus name back in the limelight.

Trulli said;

“It was quite a difficult situation at the start of November with my former team withdrawing from Formula One, but I was convinced I would stay in the sport.  I was in contact with Gascoyne about the possibility of joining the new Lotus team and it became quickly clear that it would be a very good opportunity for me. I have been in Formula One for many years but there is something extremely motivating about helping to build a team from the ground level up.

We have to set realistic targets for the first year.  We are one of the new teams, so we have to prove ourselves and to gain respect in the paddock. We have to establish ourselves as the best of the new teams and see what gap we have between us and the rest. Only then will we really understand what gains we need to make during the season. The points system has changed to reward the top ten drivers, so I would like to see us making progress towards the top ten by AbuDhabi.”

Kovalainen said;

“For me there were a couple of major factors [behind moving to Lotus].  Tony Fernandes [team principal] and Mike Gascoyne being the two leading figures in the project and the backing behind the team were both very important. Having spoken to both of them I became aware that the whole operation has a lot of potential, and a very good chance of being a successful team in the future. I saw Lotus as the best choice for me to progress my career, after considering several other options that were available to me.

I always race to win and I will do everything as if I was preparing to put the car on pole, but of course we have to be realistic and keep the focus on developing the team to a state where we can operate like any other current top F1 team. It will not be easy and we will have tough times at the beginning, there’s no question about it, but as long as we keep improving all the way through the year and have the earned respect of the other top teams on the grid, then we can be pleased about the first year.”

Renault 2009

According to the BBC Sports site, the Renault F1 team have secured a deal to see them on the grid for the 2010 Formula One Championship.

The Renault team will keep a 25% shareholding after it has been announced that a new buyer has been found with an official announcement due next week.

A final decision concerning the teams future was said to have been decided on Wednesday at an executive board meeting although whether Robert Kubica will be driving under the new ownership is still unknown.

The Renault teams reputation, ended in tatters in the 2009 season after the 2008 Singapore crash scandal came to light, with the team receiving a ban from the sport, suspended for two-years.  Flavio Briatore was banned for life for his part in the conspiracy and Pat Symonds received a five-year ban.  Both are planning on contesting the bans at the French courts, with a verdict due in the New Year.

Recently it was confirmed that Gerard Lopez was interested in buying the team but he faces competition with Prodrive boss David Richards as well as two other parties.