2010 Season: Update on the Formula 1 Transfer Market (upd)

Since forever, Formula 1 has shone with its Grand Prix races, its competitions, and the automotive showcase it represents. But F1 wouldn’t be F1 without its drivers, and especially its transfers. The transfers of a season are always bustling, and at the end of each year, speculations run rampant about which driver will go to which team. The 2010 season is no exception; quite the contrary.

The transfers this 2010 season are very hectic, and news, both true and rumored, is coming from all sides since July. We offer you an overview of the transfer market for the 2010 season, team by team:

Ferrari:

The Scuderia Ferrari continues to captivate. The team officially announced its driver duo later than usual, compared to the tradition of announcing at the Italian Grand Prix, yet the stakes were high. The team thus manages to attract the big fish, Fernando Alonso. He will replace another world champion, Kimi Räikkönen, who no longer meets the group’s expectations. Felipe Massa, although recovering, will keep his position as a Ferrari driver in 2010. As for the test drivers, only Marc Gené is expected to be renewed. Luca Badoer is definitively sidelined from the Scuderia after his lack of performance in races while replacing Massa.

Final line-up:

1 – Felipe Massa

2 – Fernando Alonso

Red Bull-Renault

Red Bull has already confirmed its driver duo for 2010. It will remain unchanged and will consist of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. In the meantime, rumors about a possible arrival of Kimi Räikkönen have somewhat shaken this certainty, but the Finn recently confirmed that for him, it would be McLaren or nothing.

Final line-up:

1 – Sebastian Vettel

2 – Mark Webber

Williams-Cosworth:

It’s now official, Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hülkenberg will be driving the Williams cars in 2010. Nico Rosberg is leaving the team after being loyal to them for four seasons, and Kazuki Nakajima is being asked to move on. To part ways with him, Williams had to end their engine supply partnership with Toyota, which contractually required the Japanese driver. Williams will be powered by Cosworth.

Final line-up:

1 – Rubens Barrichello

2 – Nico Hülkenberg

McLaren-Mercedes

The Woking team has a driver educated by the star for several years in the person of **Lewis Hamilton**. Already a world champion in his second season, the Englishman will not leave the McLaren team next season. Hamilton thus remains the number 1 driver of the team. However, for the number 2 spot, the story darkens. **Heikki Kovalainen** does not satisfy the leaders of the silver arrows. He will probably be replaced by his Nordic compatriot, **Kimi Räikkönen**. Already a McLaren driver before his Ferrari episode, Räikkönen would be preferred by Martin Whitmarsh (the director) to **Nico Rosberg**. However, some are hesitant to see Räikkönen return in gray, including the mechanics. The option of **Nick Heidfeld** should not be excluded either. The German is consistent and holds the record for the most consecutive GP finishes. For the third driver, it should only be Gary Paffett remaining in McLaren’s ranks; Pedro de la Rosa is expected to leave the team to become a main driver elsewhere…

Probable line-up:

1 – Lewis Hamilton

2 – Kimi Räikkönen

Brawn GP-Mercedes:

The 2009 world champion team is fighting to keep Jenson Button, the new world drivers’ champion. Ross Brawn is 99.9% certain of sealing the deal. As for the second seat, with Rubens Barrichello having moved to Williams, it would be Nico Rosberg who would take his place at Brawn GP.

Probable line-up:

1 – Jenson Button

2 – Nico Rosberg

Renault:

The diamond team, weakened by numerous political and sports affairs and mediocre results in the Grand Prix, has lost its emblem Fernando Alonso for the second time. The Spaniard was replaced by Robert Kubica a few days after the announcement of his departure. The Pole had been on the transfer market for several months after BMW-Sauber announced it would leave Formula 1 at the end of 2009. Renault currently has a second rookie driver with Franco-Swiss Romain Grosjean. With (too) high hopes placed on him, rumors say Renault F1 is disappointed. Grosjean will thus have to prove himself in Brazil and Abu Dhabi to avoid being replaced. He is currently threatened by Timo Glock, Nick Heidfeld, Adrian Sutil, or Franck Montagny. Nonetheless, Grosjean’s experience remains essential to the team, and the Frenchman likely did not leave the GP2 championship and his second place for only six Formula 1 Grand Prix… to be continued…

Probable line-up:

1 – Robert Kubica

2 – Timo Glock

Toyota:

It is well known that Toyota has set victory goals in Formula 1 that it has yet to achieve. The team might decide to leave F1 next year, or on the contrary, opt for a complete overhaul. A 100% Japanese driver duo is not off the table. The team could potentially recruit Kazuki Nakajima in place of Jarno Trulli – who is demanding a very high salary – and Kamui Kobayashi in the German Timo Glock’s place. For now, rumors favor Heikki Kovalainen departing from McLaren and Timo Glock. Toyota is expected to confirm its drivers after the meeting on November 8, during which the 2010 budget will be approved.

Probable line-up:

1 – Heikki Kovalainen

2 – Kamui Kobayashi

Toro Rosso-Ferrari:

The small Scuderia, as it is nicknamed in the paddocks, is a subsidiary of Red Bull. As such, the line-up is subject to total change or stability. Both drivers are ‘on the hot seat’, but like Sebastian Vettel, who was kept for two seasons and then sold with profit to the parent team, Sébastien Buemi should be retained in the team. Rumors suggest that Jaime Alguersuari, who replaced Sébastien Bourdais mid-season, might be replaced by another more experienced driver. The Spaniard hasn’t commented on his future but if replaced, might have his chance with Campos Meta. Romain Grosjean is a possible candidate to replace Alguersuari, but Vitaly Petrov—who has won numerous times in GP2—is also a contender.

Probable line-up:

1 – Sébastien Buemi

2 – Jaime Alguersuari

Force India-Mercedes:

Force India is one of the few teams to have changed drivers during the season, like Renault or Toro Rosso. The Indian team then parted ways with Giancarlo Fisichella, who left to replace Massa at Ferrari. Since then, the team has been racing with Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi. With the announcement of Alonso’s departure to Renault, the lineup seems compromised. Renault would like to secure the services of the German Sutil. If the rumors prove true, the team could replace him with an (finally) Indian driver such as Narain Karthikeyan or Karun Chandhok. Giancarlo Fisichella, however, has announced that he wants to return in 2010 with an already established team.

Probable line-up:

1 – Adrian Sutil

2 – Vitantonio Liuzzi

Manor GP-Cosworth:

The team is completely new, as are the next three. Created without a base, experienced drivers are reluctant to take a risk with Manor… The team will likely have to rely on drivers who have so far been testers or are yet to compete in Formula 1. This is the case with **Lucas di Grassi**, Renault’s third driver who could move to Manor. **Kazuki Nakajima** or **Jaime Alguersuari** are possible number one drivers for the team. Otherwise, these two young men risk finding themselves without a seat next year.

Probable line-up:

1 – Lucas di Grassi

2 – Kazuki Nakajima

Campos Meta-Cosworth

Bruno Senna is already confirmed as a 2010 driver for the Spanish team. For the remaining seat, the team would like to have a Spanish driver. Pedro de la Rosa – McLaren’s third driver for several years – is the favorite. If negotiations were to fail, the team would then turn to Jaime Alguersuari or Marc Gené.

Probable line-up:

1 – Pedro de la Rosa

2 – Bruno Senna

USF1-Cosworth:

Similarly to Campos, US F1 is proud of its American roots. The team would like to have two drivers from the United States in 2010. However, the dream is difficult to achieve given the small number of Americans holding the Super License. Names like Jonathan Summerton – driver in A1 GP – or Kurt Busch – Nascar driver are mentioned. Peter Windsor also desires experience, and Anthony Davidson possesses that. Windsor, however, might sacrifice his dream to welcome a non-American but experienced driver. Rumors have circulated with Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 champion. In recent weeks, it is with Sébastien Bourdais that contacts seem to be intensifying. The two men are well known in the land of Uncle Sam.

Probable line-up:

1 – Sébastien Bourdais

2 – Jonathan Summerton

Lotus-Cosworth:

Lotus is the 13th and probably the last team registered for the 2010 World Championship. Originating from Malaysia, they would like to have their drivers participate in F1 and represent Malaysia. However, Malaysian drivers are hard to find, and drivers sidelined by their teams might be employed. Jarno Trulli seems to have the upper hand due to his connections with Mike Gascoyne, the team director. The second seat will likely go to Malaysian driver Fairuz Fauzy, who is rumored to have already signed, while Nick Heidfeld, without a drive for 2010, is also mentioned.

Probable line-up:

1 – Jarno Trulli

2 – Fairuz Fauzy