2009 Formula One season
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It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change significantly as the event approaches and more information becomes available.
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The 2009 Formula One season will be the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It will be the second season under the new Concorde Agreement. As it stands, there are a total of seven teams signed up to compete in the championship through an agreement with Formula One Management (reduced from eight following Super Aguri's pull out of the 2008 season), while the other three major manufacturers in the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix to compete in the 2008 season.[1] There is also still a chance that Prodrive could debut in the 2009 season, given that no definitive statement has been made indefinitely abandoning the prospective team's F1 aspirations. However, given that customer cars - the basis of Prodrive's plans - will no longer be allowed in F1 from 2009, and further given that Prodrive is no longer guaranteed to be accepted on the 2009 grid after failing to meet their 2008 obligations, this must be seen as a very remote possibility.
Contents |
[edit] Teams
[edit] Teams Signed with FOM
[edit] GPMA Manufactures
[edit] Potential New Teams
[edit] Teams and drivers
| Team | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | No | Driver | Test driver(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes |
McLaren | TBA | Mercedes | B | Lewis Hamilton[2] |
TBA | |
 Heikki Kovalainen[2] |
|||||||
 Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro |
Ferrari | TBA | Ferrari | B | Kimi Räikkönen[3] |
TBA | |
 Felipe Massa[4] |
|||||||
 BMW Sauber F1 Team |
BMW Sauber | TBA | BMW | B | Nick Heidfeld |
TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
| AT&T Williams |
Williams | TBA | Toyota[5] | B | Nico Rosberg[6] |
TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
 Red Bull Racing |
Red Bull | TBA | TBA | B | TBA | TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
 Panasonic Toyota Racing |
Toyota | TBA | Toyota | B | Jarno Trulli[7] |
TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
 ING Renault F1 Team |
Renault | TBA | Renault | B |  Fernando Alonso[8] |
TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
| Scuderia Toro Rosso† |
Toro Rosso | TBA | TBA | B | TBA | TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
| Honda Racing F1 Team |
Honda | TBA | Honda | B | Jenson Button[9] |
TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
 Force India F1 Team |
Force India | TBA | TBA | B | TBA | TBA | |
| TBA | |||||||
| Prodrive F1‡ |
TBA | TBA | TBA | B | TBA | TBA | |
| TBA |
† - Scuderia Toro Rosso is currently for sale, and may change ownership before the 2009 season.[10]
‡ - Although Prodrive was granted an entry to the 2008 season, the company has not yet confirmed if they intend to pursue a 2009 entry. The FIA has explicitly stated that Prodrive is no longer guaranteed a spot on the 2009 grid after failing to fulfil their 2008 obligations.
It was announced during the ITV broadcast of the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix that Nick Heidfeld was under contract with BMW Sauber whilst Robert Kubica was not.
[edit] 2009 Race schedule
[edit] Calendar changes
- On February 3, 2007, it was announced that a new race in Abu Dhabi known as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be added to the 2009 calendar as part of Formula One's expansion in the Middle East.[11] The race will take place at the Yas Island Circuit which is currently being built on Yas Island by the construction company Aldar. On April 10, 2008, the organisers have been told that the Grand Prix will take place in October 2009.[12]
- After being dropped in 2007 to the Fuji Speedway, the Suzuka Circuit will return to host the Japanese Grand Prix in 2009. The race will then alternate between the two circuits.
- After the 2006 United States Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone and Ron Dennis announced the possibility of a new Grand Prix in South Korea entering in 2009. It has now been revealed though that the Korean Grand Prix will take place from 2010 at the soon-to-be built Korean International Circuit. In addition to this, India has been confirmed on the Grand Prix calendar in 2010 with the Indian Grand Prix taking place in Delhi.
[edit] Rumours
- The organizers of the Malaysian Grand Prix revealed on January 22 their interest to host Formula One's second night race in 2009.[13] On February 13 the Sepang International Circuit confirmed it was in discussions about securing a floodlighting system.[14]
- Tony George confirmed that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was in discussion with Bernie Ecclestone about its return to Formula One in 2009 to host the United States Grand Prix again after being dropped after 2007.[15] George had also confirmed that the speedway is underway of searching a title sponsor to guarantee the financial viability of the race.[16]
- Bernie Ecclestone announced that a Russian Grand Prix could be a reality, although the location is yet unknown. [17]
- On 12 May 2008 Bernie Ecclestone confirmed the 2008 French Grand Prix as the last race to be held at Magny Cours and as a result the French Grand Prix may be dropped from the 2009 Formula One season and possibly return at a location in Paris in 2010.
[edit] Speculated 2009 race schedule
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† As said in the F1 Racing magazine, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be held some time in the month of October.
[edit] Changes
[edit] Rule changes
On 22 December 2006, the FIA released the technical regulations for the 2009 season.[19]
- Along with changes to bodywork, vehicle weight and tyre size, the document includes details of a "Kinetic Energy Recovery System", or KERS. This is a regenerative brake device that is designed to recover some of the vehicle's kinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking. The recovered energy could be stored electrically, in a battery or supercapacitor, or mechanically, in a flywheel, for use as a source of additional accelerative power at the driver's discretion.
- There will also be a cap on team budgets starting in the 2009 season.[20]
[edit] Broadcasting changes
- The BBC regain coverage of Formula One in the United Kingdom after losing it to ITV in 1996. The deal will last for 5 years and includes TV, radio and online coverage rights.[21]
[edit] Rumours
[edit] Rumoured regulation changes
- After being banned since 1998, Formula One tyre supplier Bridgestone will provide slick tyres in 2009.[22]
- Tyre-warming blankets will be banned.[23]
- The closing of the pit lane when a safety car is deployed may be abolished by the start of the 2009 season. During 2008, Rubens Barrichello and Nick Heidfeld have both been forced to pit when their cars were low on fuel and received penalties for refueling when the pit lane was closed.[24]
[edit] Rumoured driver changes
- During an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live, Fernando Alonso revealed that he could leave Renault at the end of the 2008 season if he wished. This comes after Renault started the 2008 season uncompetitively.
- Italian magazine Autosprint said that Sebastian Vettel will replace Massa at Ferrari and that Michael Schumacher is helping in negotiations. However during an interview with ITV, Vettel's team boss Gerhard Berger had said that the reports are rubbish and that the German will stay at Toro Rosso for the next three years.[25]
[edit] References
- ^ "Ecclestone signature ends breakaway threat", GPUpdate.net, 2006-05-20. Retrieved on 2006-10-09.
- ^ a b "Lewis extends McLaren stay until 2012", Manipe F1, 2008-01-18. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ "Raikkonen", formula1.com, 2006-09-10. Retrieved on 2006-10-20.
- ^ "Massa extends Ferrari stay until 2010", Manipe F1, 2007-10-16. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
- ^ "Toyota engines for Williams in 2007", formula1.com, 2006-07-27. Retrieved on 2006-10-20.
- ^ "Q+A: Williams' Nico Rosberg", Manipe F1, 2007-12-11. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ "Trulli", BBCsport, 2006-07-28. Retrieved on 2006-10-20.
- ^ "Briatore insists Alonso going nowhere next year.", Yahoo! Eurosport UK, 2008-04-16. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
- ^ "Button to stay with Honda in 2009", f1-live.com, 2008-05-10. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ The sale of Scuderia Toro Rosso. grandprix.com (19 March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi gets Grand Prix for 2009", F1.com, 2007-02-03. Retrieved on 2007-02-03.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi GP set for October date", autosport.com, 2008-04-10. Retrieved on 2008-04-10.
- ^ "Malaysia wants night race in 2009", Autosport.com, 2008-01-22. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
- ^ "Malaysia closing on '09 night race", ITV.com, 2008-02-13. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
- ^ a b "Indy could return in 2009", Eurosport, 2008-03-07.
- ^ "F1: USA seek return of F1 - Setanta Sports", Setana Sprts, 2008-03-28.
- ^ a b "Russia in hunt again", Autoblog, 2007-02-11. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
- ^ British grand prix faces final ultimatum. telegraph.co.uk (2008-02-06). Retrieved on 2008-04-23.
- ^ "2009 Technical Regulations Released by FIA", FIA, 2006-12-22. Retrieved on 2006-12-22.
- ^ "2009 Budget Cap", ITVF1, 2008-01-19. Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
- ^ "The BBC wins rights to UK Formula One coverage", formula1.com, 2008-03-20. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
- ^ "Bridgestone eyeing slick warm-up cure", autosport.com, 2008-03-27. Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
- ^ "Brundle: Tyre-warmer ban sensible, provided...", crash.net, 25/04/2008.
- ^ "Heidfeld hits out at 'stupid' SC pit rules", ITV-F1.com, 29/04/2008.
- ^ "Berger rubbishes Vettel's Ferrari link", autosport.com, 2008-03-20. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
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