Motorsport: Formula One Season Preview

Picking a title favourite is difficult, due to the intensity of the competition at the head of the field. McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes-Benz have all looked strong in pre-season testing, but each team has two drivers fully capable of winning the title.

How do you a pick a favourite from an entry list that includes the following: defending world champion Jenson Button, 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, rising star Nico Rosberg, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 2008 runner-up Felipe Massa and multiple 2009 race winners Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

Add to that the uncertainty surrounding the new-for-2010 rules that outlaw refuelling, threatenening to shake up the order, plus young talents like Robert Kubica, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Adrian Sutil, Sebastian Buemi and Nico Hulkenberg thrown into the mix. And not to forget Rubens Barrichello, the most experienced driver in the history of Formula One.

After the departure of Toyota, Honda and BMW in the last two years, 2010 also sees the introduction of three new teams: Virgin Racing, Hispania Racing F1 Team and the return of the once-great Lotus team.

And Lotus isn't the only famous name returning to F1 this year. Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late, great Ayrton Senna, has been signed by Hispania and will be a magnet for the attention of fans and the media this season.

While he has plenty to live up to thanks to his surname, it must be remembered that he wasn't allowed to race karts in his teenage years after his uncle's death in 1994, putting him behind most of his peers. He has shown plenty of natural ability during his rise through Formula Three and GP2 racing but he's unlikely to have the platform to shine this year with Hispania.

After last year's radical rule changes that shook up the pecking order, further changes for 2010 will keep teams and pundits guessing.

The biggest change will be the banning of re-fuelling, meaning drivers will now have to run the entire distance of each race on one tank of fuel for the first time since 1993. Only Schumacher and Barrichello were racing back then, so the rest of the field will find it a new challenge to master.

With re-fuelling banned, it will also mean the return of low-fuel qualifying. The final segment of the three-stage knock-out format will now be a battle between lightweight cars pushed to the limit. Adding to the strategic element, though, is the rule requiring drivers to start the race on the tyres they qualified on.

Tyres are different too for 2010, following the return of slicks last year. While slicks remain the control tyre, supplier Bridgestone has decided to make the front tyre narrower for this season; 245mm instead of 270mm. That could have an impact on the driving styles of many of the leading drivers.

The last major change is the introduction of a new point-scoring system. The new format is designed to offer a bigger incentive to win the race and reward more competitors. The new points are -- 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.

Team-by-Team

For: Having the two most recent world champions makes this team an instant favourite for this year's honours. Last year started disastrously for the team, struggling to get a handle on the new rule package. However, its ability to work through the problems has paid off with the '10 car, the MP4-25, looking strong in pre-season testing.  Hamilton showed great determination last year and Button will be brimming with confidence after his title success.

Against: McLaren's history of managing two champion drivers is not great (Senna-Prost, Alonso-Hamilton), and neither of these two will settle to play second fiddle. Worse case scenario could see another disruptive season like 2007. But it could equally result in the pair taking points off each other, allowing the competition to sneak ahead.

Bottom line: Anything other than winning will be a let down for these two.

Mercedes-Benz Petronas
#3 -- Michael Schumacher
#4 -- Nico Rosberg

For: Team principal Ross Brawn has pulled off yet another masterstroke by convincing Schumi to return; as well as convincing Benz to buy the team formerly known as Brawn and Honda. If any driver can spend three seasons out of the sport and return to contend for title, it will be the German. He seems as motivated and fit as ever before, after his extended holiday. Rosberg has earned a reputation as a future champion and will be ideally placed to learn from a master.

Against: the sport has changed a lot in the three years Schumacher has been away, so it will be interesting to study just how quickly he comes to grips with the new cars. There are a lot of new, young faces in the field since he was last on the grid. Seven titles or not, this new generation will show Schumacher no respect. Rosberg's reputation has been built on the back of flashes of brilliance. He'll need to start posting some consistent results if he is to be a real threat. There are also concerns that the team's focus on winning the title has had a detrimental effect on the design of this year's model.

Bottom line: Schumacher needs to win the title, Rosberg needs to beat Schumacher.

Red Bull Racing-Renault
#5 -- Sebastian Vettel
#6 -- Mark Webber

For: Red Bull's Technical Director Adrian Newey is the ace in the sleeve for this team. His mastery of the black art of aerodynamics has made him one of the most successful designers in the sport's history. The team deliberately skipped the first testing to maximise design time and, judging by the look and testing pace, it was a smart move. Last year's Red Bull appears to have been the template for most of the field this year. Despite the hype surrounding Vettel, Webber proved more than a match for him last year, despite having to overcome a broken leg in the off-season.

Against: The skipped test means less mileage on the car and Newey is equally renowned for his ability to push the limits of reliability. Any problems in the early season could be very costly when the title race gets tight. Another cause for concern is the performance and reliability of the Renault engine. The team tried to switch to Mercedes (the most powerful and reliable unit) but has been forced to persevere with the French brand.

Bottom line: Webber's best chance for glory, but Vettel will be his biggest adversary.

Scuderia Ferrari
#7 -- Felipe Massa
#8 -- Fernando Alonso

For: Replacing Kimi Raikkonen with Alonso should be a positive move for the Scuderia. For all his speed, Raikkonen was not the strong-willed team leader Schumacher was and Alonso is. The Spaniard should give the team the direction and focus. Massa has seemingly made a full recovery from his horrific Hungary crash last year. He has been on the pace in testing and proved over the last few years that he is capable of contending for the title.

Against: The biggest problem the Italian team faces is the dynamics between the two drivers. Alonso wants to be a dominant team leader and Massa showed no signs of wanting to play second fiddle to Raikkonen. The Brazilian has deep ties to the team, having been groomed by former boss Jean Todt and managed by his son Nicolas. But the team's decision to hire Alonso implies it doesn't believe Massa is the man to lead the team to its next title.

Bottom line: There is potential for both brilliance and disaster in equal measure.

AT&T Williams-Cosworth
#9 -- Rubens Barrichello
#10 -- Nico Hulkenberg

For: Williams stands on the brink of sliding into the same fate of many champion teams that drift down the pecking order and never recover. The team is trying to use last year's radical rule changes and this year's further alterations to rediscover its winning ways. The combination of Barrichello's experience and Hulkenburg's youthful speed gives them the right talent to exploit the car to its full potential.  

Against: The decision to drop Toyota engines turned out to be a good one but the failure to land a new manufacturer partnership could be costly. In theory the Cosworth should be a capable engine but the reality is the Mercedes-Benz is clearly a cut above the rest.

Bottom line: Fifth place in the constructors would be a good outcome.

For: Given the events of last year, it's good that Renault has even remained in the sport. It does so in a completely different form, with team now co-owned by private equity group Genii. But despite the lack of sponsors, the team has pulled off a major coup by snagging Kubica as the lead driver. The Polish ace is one of the best talents in the sport and has the talent, drive and determination to return Renault back to the front of the field. Petrov may be bringing plenty of cash to secure his seat, but he did finish runner-up in last year's GP2 series. 

Against: There's no hiding the fact that the team is light on sponsors, with its retro yellow and black livery. Despite Genii's investment, private equity firms aren't in the business of spending money just to go motor racing, so there are some big question marks over the team's financial position. Petrov may have some pedigree in the junior categories, but he'll enter this year with limited testing opportunities and the challenge of Kubica in the neighbouring garage.

Bottom line: Kubica has the talent but the team needs to back him up.

For: A technical partnership with McLaren paid dividends for the team formerly known as Spyker-Midland-Jordan last year. While for much of the season they ran in the midfield as usual, there were times they jumped right to the front of the field; most notably Spa and Monza. The trick for this year is to maintain last year's strength, while reducing its weakness; a tough ask in F1. Driver-wise Sutil has shown some promise and Liuzzi is still rated by many as a great talent. 

Against: Despite the relationship with McLaren, the team still lags behind the pace-setters in technical terms. Testing form also suggests the team has failed to find a big step forward with its new car. While both Sutil and Liuzzi have shown promise, neither is yet to deliver the consistent, strong performance expected by the team. With that in mind, the team has employed promising young Scottish driver Paul di Resta (cousin of Indycar star Dario Franchitti) to act as third driver... and put the pressure on the incumbent pilots.

Bottom line: Time to become a real force.

For: Swiss youngster Buemi didn't quite reach Vettel-like performance in his rookie season, but justified the energy drink company's investment in him. After the departure of Sebastian Bourdais, Buemi stepped up to the role of team leader without breaking his stride. Alguersuari is only 19 and was rushed into F1 last year to replace Bourdais. While his form was erratic, his speed in the junior formulas (including winning the 2008 British Formula Three championship) will be enough to earn him a proper shot at F1 this year.

Against: Red Bull's junior team faces a major challenge this year. After some impressive results in the last two years, including Vettel's Italian GP win in '08, the Italian team can no longer rely on using a version of Red Bull Racing's Adrian Newey-designed car. A busy off-season was spent designing and constructing the team's first original car since it carried the Minardi name.

Bottom line: A solid midfield finish for both drivers and the team would be respectable.

Lotus F1 Racing-Cosworth
#18 -- Jarno Trulli
#19 -- Heikki Kovalainen

For: Arguably the second most evocative name in Formula One history, behind Ferrari, returns to the sport after more than 15 years in the wilderness. But this is not the same Lotus that the charismatic (and enigmatic) Colin Chapman led. The Lotus brand is owned by Proton, but this team is headed by business tycoon Tony Fernandes. Funding is reportedly strong and the technical team is headed by the highly respected Mike Gascoyne, so it should produce a solid, sensible car. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalinen are both talented drivers with plenty of experience.

Against: The design is deliberately conservative, so it would be surprising to see the gorgeous green and yellow machine troubling the likes of Toro Rosso, Force India and Sauber in the early part of the season. Realistically, the similarly Cosworth powered Williams should be the benchmark.

Bottom line: Should be the best of the newcomers.

Hispania Racing Team-Cosworth
#20 -- Karun Chandhok
#21 -- Bruno Senna

For: This team will feel like it has won a major battle just making the grid in Bahrain. Originally known as Campos Meta F1, a major restructure over the past month sees Spanish businessman Jose Ramon Carbante take over the squad. Amid the turmoil, respected Italian constructor Dallara has focused simply on building the chassis. Given the company's recent experience in Indycars and GP2, it should be a competent car despite its very late arrival.

Against: Heading to Bahrain without any testing puts the team well and truly behind the competition, even other new teams. Just making the car reliable will be the focus for the first part of the season, so expect Senna and Chandhok to usually occupy the back row of the grid. Both drivers are winners in GP2, but without any testing, they will be playing catch-up all year.

Bottom line: Just completing the season will be a major achievement.

Sauber-Ferrari
#22 -- Pedro de la Rosa
#23 -- Kamui Kobayashi

For: The latest reports from Europe suggest the Swiss team has produced a car that is very easy on its tyres. That could mean the sleek C29, powered by the proven Ferrari engine, springs some promising results in the opening races. De la Rose hasn't raced in F1 fulltime for over five years, but has been an instrumental part of McLaren's test program since then. Kobayashi proved wild but very fast during his two-race stint at Toyota last year.    

Against: The deal for Peter Sauber to re-acquire his old team from BMW came together very late in the off-season. Not only is the team still officially known as BMW.Sauber, the car is running a plain white livery, devoid of any notable sponsorship. That doesn't bode well for the team in either the short or longterm in the expensive world of F1. Even if the car does prove a giant-killer in the early races, thanks to its better tyre life, the team will need to spend money developing the car just to keep up with the competition; a traditional area of weakness for Sauber.

Bottom line: Should be the new teams but anything above that will be a plus.

For: Beneath the glitz and glamour of Richard Branson's Virgin brand are two no-nonsense racers at the heart of this team. Team principal John Booth has a long history in the sport running Manor Motorsport in Formula Three. The technical side of the team will be looked after by Nick Wirth, the former boss of the Simtek F1 team. His company, Wirth Research, designed the highly successful Acura sportscars in recent years, so has the knowledge of producing state-of-the-art racing machines. Virgin backing adds financial security to the equation. Glock is quick and motivated after two mediocre seasons at Toyota. Di Grassi is not only fast, but hungry after waiting a long time for his F1 break.

Against: One of the biggest talking points of this car has been Wirth's decision to design it without the use of a windtunnel to shape its aerodynamics. Instead he is relying on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) -- a new black art of F1 design. While the car has shown a good turn of speed at times in testing, there have been some worrying reliability issues.

Bottom line: Beating Lotus and HRT is the target.

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