Sakon Yamamoto

Sakon Yamamoto has joined Virgin as the team’s reserve driver for the first three races of 2011.

The Japanese driver started seven races for HRT last year.

Yamamoto said: “I am pleased to work with Marussia Virgin Racing in Australia.

“I really appreciate them giving me a chance to be here. The team has made a big step forward this year and I believe that I can contribute to their car development through my experience.

“As everyone is aware it is a very difficult time in Japan right now and any good news is much welcomed. I hope the people back home will feel positive about my latest F1 role as I would like to do everything possible to help them.”

2011 F1 season

• How well do you remember the 2011 F1 season? Take the F1 Fanatic quiz
• The 2011 F1 season: The complete F1 Fanatic review
• Your 2011 F1 predictions revisited
• Barrichello tipped to stay at Williams
• 2011 F1 statistics part 3: Stats and facts highlights
• 2011 F1 statistics part two: Vettel's domination
• 2011 F1 statistics part one: car performance
• New 2011 rules produced best racing of last four years
• What F1 Fanatics really thought of the 2011 season
• F1 Fanatic's top guest articles of 2011

Robert Kubica tested for Renault in 2005 before signing for BMW

Robert Kubica has been confirmed as the replacement for Fernando Alonso at Renault for 2010.

The Polish driver is returning to the company that played a crucial role in his arrival in F1. He won the World Series by Renault championship in 2005.

Kubica always seemed likely to leave BMW after it emerged that he only learned of their plans to leave F1 next year when he read about it online. Now there are fresh doubts over the future of the team and questions are being asked about the kind of company

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, who had dealings with Qadbak representative Russell King a few years ago, said: “I started being concerned for Sauber when I heard his name.”

Another obstacle to the ex-BMW team remaining in Formula 1 is lack of support for a 14th team, especially from – who else? – Williams.

Under the circumstances, it would probably be wise for Nick Heidfeld to find a berth elsewhere if he can.

Signing a high-profile driver like Kubice is a sign of Renault’s reaffirmed commitment to F1 in the wake of the Singapore crash scandal.

It’s a significant change for both parties. Kubica is breaking the bond with the team that brought him into F1, though more out of necessity than choice. Renault embraces a future without the Briatore-Symonds-Alonso team that won two world championships.

Kubica’s team mate has yet to be announced. Romain Grosjean has not impressed in his first five races for the team, but it’s important to stress his lack of experience and the limited amount of testing available to him.

He probably has a good chance of keeping his place next year, but with the driver market in a state of turmoil Renault may spy an opportunity to snap up a big name at a low price.

What do you think of Kubica’s move to Renault? Who should partner him next year? And what will be the next big announcement on the driver market? Have your say in the comments.

See the updated list of 2010 F1 drivers and teams

Jenson Button (left) will drive for Ross Brawn's team in 2009

Ross Brawn has confirmed that his new team Brawn GP will take over from Honda and contest the 2009 F1 season.

As has been rumoured in recent weeks the team will use the same Mercedes engines as McLaren and Force India.

Ross Brawn will be team principal of his eponymous outfit and Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello have been retained as drivers.

A statement from Brawn reads:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you – our fans, our partners and our media colleagues – for your tremendous support during the past few months. It has been a challenging period but we have now achieved a very pleasing conclusion to the strenuous efforts which have been made to secure our future. We have also been left in no doubt as to the level of enthusiasm for the team and our ambitions.

Our focus now is on preparations for the first race of the 2009 calendar in Melbourne on 29 March. Over the coming weeks we will bring you the very latest news and pictures from the build-up to the Brawn GP team’s debut season plus our plans for the development of BrawnGP.com

The team are expected to begin testing at Silverstone tomorrow. Pitpass has reported a rumour suggesting Mike Gascoyne, who left Force India last year, could be brought on board as technical director.

Honda has issued the following statement:

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced the sale of the Honda Racing F1 Team (HRF1) to Ross Brawn, the former Team Principal of Honda Racing F1 Team.

The entire shares of the HRF1, held by Honda GP Holdings Ltd., the UK-based holding company for HRF1 that managed all operations of Honda’s Formula One racing, were sold to Ross Brawn. As a result of this sale, the team ownership has transferred to Mr. Brawn, who plans to have the new team compete for this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.

Hiroshi Oshima, Managing Officer of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. responsible for Corporate Communications and Motor Sports: “Since announcing our withdrawal from Formula One racing on December 5 of last year, we have conducted various studies and discussions so that the team can continue its activities as a new team. We are very pleased that we could sell the team to Ross Brawn, with whom we have been partaking in the challenges of F1 competition, and are grateful for his decision. We offer our sincerest wishes for the new team which will be led by Ross.”

Read the full press release on Brawn GP’s official website.

More on Brawn GP

• Brawn GP
• Brawn Racing? Surely not…
• Honda ’saved’ says Nick Fry

Update: Here’s a picture of the 2009 Brawn GP F1 car: Brawn GP tests its 2009 F1 car

Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet Jnr will remain at Renault in 2009

Fernando Alonso has committed his future to Renault, ending speculation over a possible move to Ferrari.

Renault has become the seventh team to announce an unchanged line-up for 2009 with Nelson Piquet Jnr remaining alongisde Alonso.

Alonso had been linked to Ferrari, BMW and Honda at different stages during the season. But after the first two teams confirmed they would stay with the same drivers for the foreseeable future, Alonso was increasingly expected to stay at Renault.

He has enjoyed an excellent end to the season with the team, winning two of the last four races. He scored 33 points in the final four rounds, 13 more than any other driver (Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa each scored 20).

Piquet has not enjoyed a very successful a season in his first year of F1. He had more non-mechanical DNFs than any other driver (seven) and was the only driver to be out-qualified by his team mate at every round.

Earlier rumours suggested Renault might promote Lucas di Grassi or Romain Grosjean in his place. Piquet’s retention is not going to diminish suggestions that, after 2007, Alonso doesn’t want to share a team with a competitive driver again.

But with Renault clearly enjoying a resurgence, the prospect of Alonso facing down Hamilton and the Ferrari duo for the 2009 championship is an enticing one…

Fernando Alonso biography
Nelson Piquet Jnr biography
2009 F1 drivers and teams
2009 F1 season

Honda: front runners in 2009 thanks to KERS?

As the 2008 F1 season ends on a high we now look forward to what should be one of the most fascinating off-seasons for many years.

With radical changes to the technical rules, fraught political tension between the rule-makers and the teams, and two holes suddenly appearing in the calendar, these are the questions that will be answered in the run-up to 2009.

Will the teams who started early on KERS have an advantage?

Honda, Williams and BMW are among the teams that claim to have switched their focus to 2009 early in order to perfect the new Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems in the hope of gaining a major competitive advantage.

Honda have staked the most on their 2009 performance and their 2008 campaign has suffered hugely as a result. Ross Brawn will have been in charge of the team for over a year when the 2009 season starts. A huge step forward in performance is demanded.

• Will the 2009 F1 rules allow Honda to catch McLaren, Ferrari & the rest?

How many teams will start 2009 with a working KERS?

The other talking point about KERS is whether it will bring enough of a performance advantage and be reliable enough for all the teams to consider it worth using.

Toyota, who earlier described the hybrid systems planned for 2009 as “primitive”, have already said they will not be using their KERS at the start of 2009. John Howett said:

We will run a car in January with KERS in a monocoque not designed for it, which we could not race, but it will be a test platform – and our gut feeling is that the earliest (it will race) will be mid season.

Ferrari, who have twice said they are having problems with their KERS, may also choose not to.

• KERS not powerful enough for F1?
• KERS causing problems for F1 teams

Will the cars look ridiculous?

We have already seen how narrows the rear wings of next years cars will become under the 2009 F1 rules. The front wings will become much wider, and the winglets and flip-ups along the flanks of the cars will disappear.

The early renderings we’ve seen of the 2009 F1 cars look decidedly odd. Will the new look grow on us or will 2009 be the dawn of the ugly car era?

• 2009 F1 rules make rear wings tiny

Will the cars be able to follow each other more closely?

The reason F1 cars are potentially being uglified is to create something most of us would like to see: F1 cars being able to follow each other more closely in dry conditions and maybe – whisper it – being able to pass each other once in a while.

Once the teams start testing their 2009 cars we’ll keep a close eye on what driver have to say about how close they can follow each other. Another talking point here is whether these much-vaunted movable front wings are going to make a difference – and how easily we’ll be able to tell if drivers are using them.

• Adjustable wings in F1 – a change too far? (Poll)
• Good ideas on how to improve racing in F1

Will we see any new liveries?

Toyota: F1's dullest paint scheme?

With just about everything else set to change the liveries on the cars might be one of few things that stay the same. Personally I hope a couple of teams take the opportunity to give their looks a refresh.

Toyota’s F1 car design has never been particularly exciting, and Renault’s is downright horrible. Honda will surely be sticking with their ‘Earthdreams’ concept for another year (it would be rather strange of them to ditch it having made such a hue push on developing KERS) but will the change the excecution?

With KERS arriving, will any of the teams go for an ‘electric’ design similar to Peugeot’s 908 HY sportscar prototype? Or might that be too much of a risk after BMW’s unfortunate incident in testing?

• Poll: which is the best -looking 2008 car?

Will the recession cause any major sponsors to pull out?

The effects of the huge financial trauma experienced in September and October have yet to really make themselves felt in F1. But that doesn’t mean they won’t come – as Ron Dennis said earlier this year, there is usually a delay between the beginning of economic problems and their effects being felt in F1.

Perhaps the most vulnerable team is Williams. It doesn’t have the support of a major car manufacturer – it is believed to get its Toyota engines in exchange for running Kazuki Nakajima. Major sponsor RBS has received support from the UK government and its sponsorship of F1 and other sports such as rugby may now come into question. And Baugur Group, which backs Williams sponsors All Saints, mydiamonds.com and Hamley’s, may suffer from the problems in the Icelandic economy.

• The worst–case scenario

Will the Canadian Grand Prix be reinstated?

Will F1 race at Canada in 2009?

The shock loss of the Canadian Grand Prix from the 2009 F1 calendar was followed by the equally surprising disappearance of the French round. That leaves us with 17 rounds in 2009 instead of 19, and several gaping holes in the calendar.

Bernie Ecclestone has held discussions over bringing Montreal back onto the calendar and an announcement was expected on Friday. Nothing has been heard yet. However there has been no sign the French Grand Prix might return.

• No Canadian GP on 2009 F1 calendar
• 2009 French Grand Prix cancelled
• 2009 F1 calendar

Which drivers will fill the remaining open spots?

Renault, Toro Rosso and Honda are yet to confirm their 2009 F1 driver line-ups. Fernando Alonso is expected to announce today that he will stay at Renault (but he’s surprised us before), and Jenson Button is expected to remain at Honda.

Honda has confirmed it will test Bruno Senna, but it may decide to hold onto Rubens Barrichello who’s had a decent season. Senna along with Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastien Buemi and Takuma Sato are believed to be under consideration for the Toro Rosso drive. If Nelson Piquet Jnr doesn’t hold onto his Renault seat Lucas di Grassi or Romain Grosjean may take it off him.

• 2009 F1 drivers and teams

Will we see any major shifts in the balance of power between team mates?

McLaren, Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, Williams, Force India – all teams sticking with the same driver line-up for 2009. This year we saw Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica turn the tables on team mates who had beaten them the previous year.

Could we see something similar again as the drivers get to grips with the radically differnet 2009 cars?

What’s Max Mosley’s next move – and is he really preparing to step down?

Will Max Mosley still be FIA president in 12 months' time?

The political situation in F1 has become increasingly tense in recent months as the teams’ association (FOTA) and FIA president Max Mosley have tried to agree on future rules aimed at cutting costs in face of the worsening economic climate.

Despite the two agreeing terms last month, Mosley has continued to push for the adoption of standardised engines. The constructors have made it clear that they wish to retain the ability to build their own engines – and Ferrari and Toyota have threatened to quit F1 if standard engines are introduced.

In addition to that Mosley had stated repeatedly that he will step down from his post of president in 2009. But since surviving the sadomasochist sex scandal earlier this year an emboldened Mosley seems less keen on stepping down. Will he be forced to? And who could emerge as his successor?

• FIA- FOTA agreement: Teams’ proposals accepted as Mosley backs down on KERS
• Ferrari and Toyota threaten to quit F1 if Max Mosley forces standard engines

F1 Fanatic will be keeping a close eye on these – and more – during the 2008-2009 off-season. What else is on your mind about 2009 – and how do you think these questions will be answered?

Keep up with the latest developments on the 2009 F1 season: Get the latest articles from F1 Fanatic for free via RSS or our email subscription service. Click here for more information.

As the titles have been won by different teams, this means next year the number ’1′ will not be on the constructors’ championship-winning car for the first time since 2007, when Fernando Alonso sported it.

Williams will use numbers 16 and 17 next year, as they did last year. To find the time they last used higher number you have to go back before 1996, when car numbers were last issued based on championship finishing position, to 1980. That year Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann used 27 and 28.

Luca di Montezemolo vowed to get the number 1 back for 2010:

[Lewis Hamilton will] have the number 1 on his car next season, but he can rest assured of one thing: we’ll be doing our very best to put it back on a Ferrari.

Full list of expected 2009 F1 team and car numbers: 2009 F1 drivers and teams

Takuma Sato tested for Toro Rosso this year - will he race for them in 2009?

McLaren, Ferrari, BMW, Williams and Red Bull have their driver line-ups set for 2009.

With a few informed guesses we can probably make a decent guess at what the official 2009 F1 driver line-up will look like. Here’s my thoughts, share yours below:

Scuderia Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen (has 2009 contract)
Felipe Massa (has 2009 contract)

Ferrari confirmed their driver line-up before the Italian Grand Prix, sticking with the line-up they’ve had since 2006.

BMW Sauber F1 Team

Nick Heidfeld (has 2009 contract)
Robert Kubica (has 2009 contract)

Kubica joined Heidfeld at BMW halfway through 2006, and the pair will remain together for another year in 2009.

Renault F1 Team

Fernando Alonso
Lucas di Grassi

There seems to be no way into Ferrari or BMW for Fernando Alonso for the time being. But with Renault returning to form late in this season, and the prospect of engine equalisation next year nullifying part of their disadvantage, perhaps he doesn’t want to move on after all?

Flavio Briatore’s lukewarm reaction to Nelson Piquet Jnr’s fourth place at Fuji suggests there might be something to rumours GP2 driver and Renault tester Lucas di Grassi will take Piquet’s place.

Williams

Nico Rosberg (has 2009 contract)
Kazuki Nakajima (has 2009 contract)

Williams confirmed their driver line-up earlier this year, with Rosberg entering a fourth season with the team.

Red Bull Racing

Mark Webber (has 2009 contract)
Sebastian Vettel (has 2009 contract)

Sebastian Vettel’s move to Red Bull was announced months ago. David Coulthard is retiring from F1.

Toyota Racing

Jarno Trulli (has 2009 contract)
Timo Glock

Trulli is signed up for 2009 and Glock looks a dead cert although there doesn’t seem to have beena formal announcement yet.

Scuderia Toro Rosso

Takuma Sato
Sebastien Buemi

The hardest line-up to predict, with Vettel leaving and Sebastien Bourdais in doubt. Whether Sato deserves the seat may be a moot point as he appears to have marketing appeal for Red Bull, who want to export more canned caffeinated craziness to Japan.

Presumably someone will do the maths and if the value of that brand recognition exceeds the cost of fixing Sato’s STR4s the switch will be made. Disappointingly, Anthony Davidson seems not to have been given a moment’s thought by anybody.

Sebastien Buemi is a Red Bull tester and impressed in GP2 last season. His absence from the GP2 Asia roster suggests he is not spending another year at that level in 2009.

Honda Racing F1 Team

Jenson Button
Bruno Senna

Honda have been holding out for Fernando Alonso but it appears to have been to no avail. However there are rumours Williams’ Brazilian petrol supplier Petrobras is to switch to the team to coincide with the arrival of Bruno Senna. The GP2 runner-up admitted a few weeks ago he’s been in discussion with the team.

Force India F1 Team

Adrian Sutil
Giancarlo Fisichella

Team boss Vijay Mallya hinted in August that he planned to keep the same driver line-up for 2009. Paul di Resta was recently linked to the team but Mercedes’ Norbert Haug said his driver will either remain in the DTM or switch to GP2 next year.

McLaren-Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton (has 2009 contract)
Heikki Kovalainen (has 2009 contract)

Hamilton signed a five-year deal last season, and Kovalainen got a one-year extension before the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Do you think this is how the 2009 F1 grid will look? Share your thoughts below.

2009 F1 drivers and teams
2009 F1 season
View all articles tagged ‘F1 2009′

Spanish Banco Santander apparently wants to get back together with Spain’s F1 hero Fernando Alonso. Dieter Rencken in the Autosport Journal (sub. req.) explains how Alonso might yet elbow Raikkonen aside:

Would Santander be satisfied with the patently underperforming Kimi when it really craves Fernando as logo bearer? If rumours doing the rounds after Alonso’s sensational win in Singapore have any legs, Santander could see its wishes fulfilled sooner rather than later.

Allegedly the bank has offered to buy out the full balance of Raikkonen’s contract (two years at an estimated $50m per annum) and fund Alonso’s similar demands for the same period – in addition to its title sponsorship of the Italian team, and at least two race sponsorships.

According to the source the deal has already been done, and could be announced within weeks…

But Alan Henry writing for Autocar reckons Santander will stick with McLaren because of the PR value of Lewis Hamilton:

Abbey is to be entirely re-branded Santander over the next couple of years, as will be the recently-acquired Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley businesses.

[...]

You have to ask yourself the following question: if you were planning a renewed commercial assault on UK High Street business over the next couple of years, would you want it based around Felipe Massa? Kimi Raikkonen? Or Lewis Hamilton?

Where Santander choose to put their money could have a significant bearing on who gets some of F1′s most coveted drives in the future.

F1 2009 season
2009 F1 drivers and teams

The news ends speculation Fernando Alonso would join the team from Renault.

Kubica scored his and the team’s maiden Grand Prix win at Montreal earlier this year. He has remained an outside contender for the championship but misfortune with the safety car at Singapore means his chances of winning the title are now very slim.

Heidfeld has bounced back from problems in qualifying earlier this year and is still mathematically in contention for the title. He also surpassed Michael Schumacher’s all-time record for most consecutive race finishes at Singapore with his 25th consecutive classification. Heidfeld had been linked to a move to Honda.

Christian Klien will also remain a test driver for the team. It is not clear whether 2007 British F3 champion Marko Asmer will also continue in that role.

F1 2009 season
F1 2009 drivers and teams

Bruno Senna has been linked to Honda, who won 32 F1 races with Ayrton Senna

Fernando Alonso’s place on the grid is central to the 2009 F1 driver market: he is thought likely to stay at Renault, or switch to BMW or Honda.

New rumours have arisen suggesting Honda may have given up on acquiring Alonso’s services, but are looking at replacing Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button – or both – with Nick Heidfeld or Bruno Senna. What should we make of these rumours?

Nick Heidfeld to Honda

Rumour rating:

Honda’s Nick Fry has admitted “I’ve already spoken with Nick, and more than just saying ‘hello’.” Presumably that means he has spoken to Nick Heidfeld, rather than himself in the mirror.

The idea of Heidfeld joining Honda has an un-likeliness to it which I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s the thought of him and Jenson Button teaming up in some unholy all-bearded line-up.

Seriously, Heidfeld did an excellent job at BMW last year. This year, after a shaky start, he’s consistently brought the car home (to a record-breaking extent) and is scoring points regularly. This rumour only make sense to me if BMW are bringing Alonso on board. Even then, I can’t see what Heidfeld brings to Honda that Barrichello or Button lack, or why BMW should want to drop him.

Bruno Senna to Honda

Rumour rating:

While Heidfeld to Honda doesn’t sound quite right to me, Bruno Senna and Honda make a lot of sense. His uncle Ayrton Senna had a deep and strong relationship with the Japanese concern in its F1 role as engine manufacturer (sorry to keep bringing up Ayrton in the context of Bruno but his legacy inevitably has an important bearing).

Ayrton won 32 of his 41 F1 victories with Honda while at Lotus and McLaren. He gave impetus to the development of their engine, particularly so in 1991 when a late push by the manufacturer helped him retain his championship. He was hugely popular in Japan and helped Honda develop road cars like the NSX.

Not being at the sharp end of F1 at the moment (and that’s putting it kindly), Honda can arguably afford a gamble on a rookie. Though it would be particularly galling for their test driver Mike Conway, who beat Bruno to the 2006 British F3 crown.

Bruno Senna has admitted he’s talking to teams about a race seat for next year:

We have been speaking with quite a few teams and there is great interest from a few of them. So there are a few opportunities as a race driver, a few as a test driver. But there is a lot of competition and I need to come ahead of the competition right now on the negotiations and see if I can get a race drive.

At first he was being linked with Toro Rosso via Gerhard Berger. But they seem to be leaning towards Senna’s GP2 rival Sebastien Buemi – whether on merit alone or because Buemi is a Red Bull test driver.

If Senna didn’t get a race seat for next year, his options might include testing for a year (though that doesn’t tend to involve much mileage these days) or returning to GP2. But, having been runner-up this year, he would simply have to deliver the title and with a truck-load of wins if he went back for a third season.

F1 2009 season
F1 2009 drivers and teams