Six Degrees of Sir Jack Brabham

As regular readers will probably know, I am particularly given to obsessiveness - except when it comes to the updating of blogs, of course. This week I have reacquainted myself with the venerable game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. It is a fine and noble pursuit, but I'm not terribly good at it, not least, it seems, because I haven't seen Flatliners. I can usually get there, but in a rather-too-roundabout way to be elegant. If only there were a version of the Six Degrees of Separation oeuvre which concerned something I knew more about!

So, I got to thinking, if there were to be a Formula 1 version, who would be our Kevin Bacon. My working hypothesis - and this post is very much an exercise in thinking out loud, if I'm honest - is that it is Jack Brabham. As well as three world titles and a career which spanned races in three decades, Sir Jack also founded a very successful eponymous team. If that wasn't enough, two of his sons - Gary and David - went on to compete in Formula 1 themselves, although Gary never qualified for a Grand Prix.

Here are the rules I set myself. Connections may be via teammates, old team colleagues, contractual ties or blood relations. My first challenge was to see if I could link each of the 24 drivers in 2010-vintage Formula 1 back to Sir Jack Brabham in six moves or fewer. As you can see, it has proved successful. Next, I'll be looking to do the remaining 26 Formula 1 world champions, although I expect Jack Brabham to prove fairly easy in that regard.

Until I find an obvious flaw in the system, I fully expect Six Degrees of Jack Brabham to be the hottest game of the summer. Or not.

JENSON BUTTON was teammate of Rubens Barrichello, who was teammate of Martin Brundle, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

LEWIS HAMILTON drove for McLaren under Ron Dennis, who was a mechanic for Sir Jack Brabham.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER was teammate of Nelson Piquet, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

NICO ROSBERG was teammate of Kazuki Nakajima, son of Satoru Nakajima, teammate of Stefano Modena, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL drove for BMW, who supplied engines to Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

MARK WEBBER was teammate of David Coulthard, who was teammate of Damon Hill, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

FERNANDO ALONSO was teammate of Giancarlo Fisichella, who was teammate of Jenson Button, who was teammate of Rubens Barrichello, who was teammate of Martin Brundle, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

FELIPE MASSA was teammate of Michael Schumacher, who was teammate of Riccardo Patrese, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

ROBERT KUBICA drove for BMW, who supplied engines to Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

VITALY PETROV was teammate of Robert Kubica, who drove for BMW, who supplied engines to Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO was teammate of Martin Brundle, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

NICO HULKENBERG was teammate of Rubens Barrichello, was teammate of Martin Brundle, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

ADRIAN SUTIL was teammate of Giancarlo Fisichella, who was teammate of Jenson Button, who was teammate of Rubens Barrichello, who was teammate of Martin Brundle, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

VITANTONIO LIUZZI was teammate of David Coulthard, who was teammate of Damon Hill, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

SEBASTIEN BUEMI was teammate of Sebastien Bourdais, who was teammate of Sebastian Vettel, who drove for BMW, who supplied engines to Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

JAIME ALGUERSUARI was teammate of Sebastien Buemi, who was teammate of Sebastien Bourdais, who was teammate of Sebastian Vettel, who drove for BMW, who supplied engines to Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

JARNO TRULLI was teammate of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who was teammate of Damon Hill, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN drove for McLaren under team boss Ron Dennis, who was a mechanic for Sir Jack Brabham.

PEDRO DE LA ROSA was teammate of Kimi Raikkonen, who was teammate of David Coulthard, who was teammate of Damon Hill, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

KAMUI KOBAYASHI was teammate of Jarno Trulli, who was teammate of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who was teammate of Damon Hill, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

TIMO GLOCK drove for Virgin Racing, designed by Nick Wirth, who was team principal of David Brabham, son of Sir Jack Brabham.

LUCAS DI GRASSI drove for Virgin Racing, designed by Nick Wirth, who was team principal of David Brabham, son of Sir Jack Brabham.

BRUNO SENNA is the nephew of Ayrton Senna, who was teammate of Satoru Nakajima, who was teammate of Stefano Modena, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

KARUN CHANDHOK teammate of Bruno Senna, is the nephew of Ayrton Senna, who was teammate of Satoru Nakajima, who was teammate of Stefano Modena, who drove for Brabham, the team established by Sir Jack Brabham.

Formula 1 2010 - I get things wrong

I'm writing this on Thursday morning, so as to hopefully avoid any accusations of cheating. However, given the standard of my predictions last year, such an outcome is probably fairly unlikely.

This year's Formula 1 World Championship is perhaps more predictable than last years', in terms of the dramatis personae. However, the huge variability given to pre-season testing times by the new fuel regulation makes it hard to know exactly where people will stand when all things are equal.

Nevertheless, I'm happy to make a complete fool of myself by trying to predict the final top 10 standings in both the drivers' and constructors' championships, so here we go.

DRIVERS

I think Fernando Alonso will be the 2010 World Champion. The Ferrari looks to be at least as competitive as anything else in the field, and that's all the advantage a driver of his standard needs. I think his closest challengers will be Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, because over 19 races it's hard to look past the cream rising to the top. I also fancy Jenson Button, Felipe Massa, Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber will win races, which will of course be excellent news for the sport. I'd also not discount Nico Rosberg from making the step up to a winner. This leaves two more places in the top ten. I think that Sauber will start the year with the best car of the rest, and that this should help a canny competitor like Pedro de la Rosa to get some good points on the board early. I'd not be surprised, though, if Rubens Barrichello were to overhaul his tally by the time Abu Dhabi comes around.

Best of the rookies will be a tough contest, with no newcomer to the sport really appearing to be a duffer. In terms of points scored, however, it's hard to see past Kamui Kobayashi or Nico Hülkenberg. I think the German will just edge it.

Prediction: 1. Alonso; 2. Hamilton; 3. Vettel; 4. Button; 5. Massa; 6. Schumacher; 7. Webber; 8. Rosberg; 9. Barrichello; 10. de la Rosa.

CONSTRUCTORS

2010 promises to be an almighty scrap between four teams for the top honours. So often in recent seasons, the cars have been so evenly matched in performance that it has boiled down to who has the strongest driver line-up. As such, I think 2010 could just be McLaren's year, unless Ferrari have really stolen a significant march in terms of car design. Red Bull will run everybody close and Mercedes will hardly disgrace themselves. The second battle royale looks set to be for 5th place, with Sauber, Williams, Force India, and Renault all in contention. I fancy Sauber to edge it, chased hard by Williams who should see off the challenge of Force India's quick new car by dint of having the better drivers. Toro Rosso look as though they'll have a lonely year.

In the battle of the new teams - the truly new teams - I think Virgin begin the season with the advantage, and if they get their reliability sorted out they could effectively put themselves beyond reach by the time Lotus start to wring some speed from the T127. Hispania seem set for a long, hard, season.

Prediction: 1. McLaren-Mercedes; 2. Ferrari; 3. Red Bull-Renault; 4. Mercedes; 5. Sauber-Ferrari; 6. Williams-Cosworth; 7. Force India-Mercedes; 8. Renault; 9. Toro Rosso-Ferrari; 10. Virgin Racing-Cosworth.

Formula 1 2010 - the drivers (1-6)

The 2010 Formula 1 World Championship begins in Bahrain this Friday morning and it promises to be one of the most open in years. On the days leading up to the start of practice, I'll be taking a look at the 24 runners and riders taking part this year. In today's final part, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull.

McLAREN-MERCEDES

McLaren's MP4/24 car was one of the worst that the team had ever produced, but a magnificent effort saw them claw back a full 2.5 seconds per lap in time, finishing the season with race wins, pole positions and fastest laps. It's difficult to see them making the same mistake again with the MP4/25. Pre-season testing has shown considerable promise, but the effect of their effort to sort out the shortcomings of their car last season is yet to be seen, as is the end of their lengthy technological partnership with Mercedes. If 2009 taught us anything, however, it's that McLaren will be there or thereabouts.

Car 1: JENSON BUTTON (GB)

BIOGRAPHY: Jenson Button was born in Frome on 19th January 1980. Britain's youngest ever Grand Prix driver, Button nevertheless found time to win the 1998 British Formula Ford championship and three races in the following season's British Formula 3 series, before his elevation to the top table.

F1 PEDIGREE: Like his ertswhile teammate Rubens Barrichello, the fact Button was so young when he started in Formula 1 racing can make you forget how experienced he in fact is. Button is now a veteran of 171 Grands Prix, of which he has won seven. Six of them came last season, when he won his first World Championship.

PROSPECTS: Jenson Button came of age in 2009, finally realising all his potential at the same time, particularly in his ferocious burst at the start of the season in which it seemed like there was nobody else on the circuit. Now seeking that sportman's favourite, "a new challenge", Button finds himself in a British superteam. His super-smooth diving style could well aid him under the new fuel regulations this season. What it's important to not lose sight of, though, is that it took Button 10 seasons to reach a goal which, as late as 2008, looked to have passed him by. As such, he'll be in no hurry to give it away. Button will surely win races in 2010.

IN A IDEAL WORLD: Jenson Button will become the first British driver ever to retain the Formula 1 World Championship.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: All the worst fears about Button being steamrollered by Lewis Hamilton will come to pass and the reigning champion will be reduced to being a back-up man.

Car 2: LEWIS HAMILTON (GB)

BIOGRAPHY: Lewis Hamilton was born in Stevenage on 7th January 1985. Known to the motor racing world since he was 10 years old, after a deal with McLaren's boss Ron Dennis, his early single-seater career was - by his standards - a slightly stuttering one. When he found his feet, though, he simply blitzed his way to the top of the sport, winning the 2005 Formula 3 Euroseries and 2006 GP2 series, in addition to the 2005 Formula 3 Masters event.

F1 PEDIGREE: No driver since Michael Schumacher has made such an immediate impact in the sport. Lewis Hamilton moved to McLaren's race team in 2007 and promptly finished on the podium in his first nine races, winning two of them. Two more victories followed, and it was just inexperience, plus a car problem at the last race, that cost him the title in his debut season. Five more wins in 2008 saw him become the sport's youngest ever World Champion. Two more wins followed in 2009, despite an awful start, taking his tally to 11 from just 52 races.

PROSPECTS: There's no point denying that Lewis Hamilton is arguably the best racing driver in the world today. I think Fernando Alonso is a more rounded package, but no-one in the field can match Hamilton's pace over one lap. The trying time he endured in 2009 have also added a new intelligence an maturity to his approach, without tempering any of his enormous aggression and speed. If the car is good, Hamilton will win a second world champion in a blink of an eye.

IN A IDEAL WORLD: World Championship number two.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: There's not much that could conceivably knock Hamilton's reputation in the sport, but I think he would be deeply mortified on a personal level to be beaten by Jenson Button - be he the World Champion or not - over the course of 19 races.


MERCEDES

The return of the most successful team in the history of Grand Prix motor racing, having bought the Brawn outfit who, in terms of statistics alone, were their closest rivals. The MGP W01 car looks to be a decent machine, with a high fallutin' super-diffuser promised for the start of the race meeting tomorrow. At the moment, they look to be the fourth best of the big four teams, but neither Mercedes, nor Ross Brawn or Michael Schumacher, are accustomed or willing to tolerate anything less than success.

Car 3: MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Michael Schumacher was born in Hürth-Hermülheim on 3rd January 1969. A product of the Mercedes junior system, he won the 1990 German Formula 3 championship, as well as that season's Macau Grand Prix, before going on to win two rounds of the Sports Car World Championship for the three-pointed star.

F1 PEDIGREE: Almost too long to go into. Schumacher is by far the most statistically successful Grand Prix driver of all time. Among his records are the following: (from 250 Grands Prix) most World Championship titles (7), most consecutive World Championship titles (5), most Grand Prix wins (91), most pole positions (68), most fastest laps (76), most podium finishes (154) and most championship points (1369). Did I also mention that, aside from the numbers alone, he is a brilliant racing driver?

PROSPECTS: The key question mark surrounding the biggest-name comeback the sport has ever seen is the physical condition of Schumacher's neck, which he injured in a motorcycle racing accident trying to get his fix at the start of 2009. Other questions have included whether his skills will have dulled and whether the same desire will be there. I don't think these are particularly pressing concerns, as we are talking about Michael Schumacher. Schumacher has never driven a full season of Formula 1 without winning a race, and it's hard to see him not keeping up his record.

IN A IDEAL WORLD: Unless the Mercedes GP car finds a little more pace compared to its key rivals, it's hard to see Michael Schumacher adding title number 8. Multiple race wins.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Schumacher's neck gives out and he has to meekly walk away. However, there's little that could significantly dent his standing in the history of the sport. If the driver in the current field with the second-highest number of Grand Prix wins - Fernando Alonso - wins in Bahrain and then just keeps on going, it wouldn't be until race 14 of the 2013 season until he overhauls Michael Schumacher's record.

Car 4: NICO ROSBERG (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Nico Rosberg was born in Weisbaden on 27th June 1985. Son of the 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg, Nico's path through the junior formulae was perhaps predictably impressive. Having won the 2002 German Formula BMW title and four races across two seasons in the Formula 3 Euroseries, he went on to win the inaugural GP2 series crown from Heikki Kovalainen.

F1 PEDIGREE: Rosberg made his Formula 1 debut at Bahrain in 2006 for Williams, promptly finishing 7th and becoming the youngest driver to ever turn the fastest lap of a Grand Prix into the bargain. Since then, his chances have been limited by the standard and - more usually - the reliability of his car. Last season was his most consistent yet in Formula 1, though he will be disappointed it didn't see him add to his 2 podium finishes. Second place in the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix remains his best result from 70 races.

PROSPECTS: Now moving to his second Formula 1 team, there's no doubting what Rosberg's aim must be for this season. And until he does it, doubts will always surround him, especially after a mistake cost him a sure second-place at last year's Singapore race. His pace in qualifying can also be underwhelming compared to the speed he is capable of in both practice and the races. What there is no doubting, however, is that Rosberg is fast, consistent and hugely capable. Not yet 25, it's hard to see him not winning a race sooner or later. It could well open the floodgates when he does.

IN A IDEAL WORLD: Rosberg holds his own in qualifying against Michael Schumacher and wins his first Grand Prix.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Rosberg joins the growing list of drivers chewed up and spat out by Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 career. Mercedes wonder if Sebastian Vettel would be a better fit for their seat.


RED BULL RACING-RENAULT

2009's RB5 car was the class of the field, winning the last three events of the season, despite the notable disadvantage of being a late adopter of the double-diffuser concept. In designer Adrian Newey, the team have one of the all-time Formula 1 greats, and the majority of the 2010 field have honoured him by imitation with their cars for this campaign. The RB6 is yet another classically sleek and elegant Newey car, which has flown in testing. Perhaps its weakest link is the reliability of the Renault engine. Red Bull are also, of course, the only team out of the four major championship hopefuls to not boast a World Champion driver. Yet.

Car 5: SEBASTIAN VETTEL (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Sebastian Vettel was born in Heppenheim on 3rd July 1987. One of the youngest drivers to ever start a Grand Prix, Vettel has understandably limited lower-formulae experience. However, he did win the 2004 German Formula BMW crown, as well as four races in the 2006 Formula 3 Euroseries.

F1 PEDIGREE: The youngest man ever to win a World Championship Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel could still become the youngest ever World Champion if he were to go one better than last season's runner-up spot. In 43 races, he has won five times, including one bewilderingly improbable victory on pace alone in a Toro Rosso, at Monza 2008. Also searingly quick over one lap, Vettel will most likely be Lewis Hamilton's biggest challenger for the most pole positions in the 2010 season.

PROSPECTS: The sky is the limit for Sebastian Vettel, after a magnificent 2009 season. But for a little inexperience - understandable at 22 years of age - and persistent engine gripes, he could have been World Champion. As it was, he won 4 races, 4 pole positions and 3 fastest laps, as well as overhauling Rubens Barrichello's points tally in the season's final race. If Sebastian Vettel doesn't win multiple World Championships, I would be very surprised. With the right car, he's ready to start immediately.

IN A IDEAL WORLD: World Champion.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Vettel loses out to Mark Webber due to a series of niggling mistakes and car problems.

Car 6: MARK WEBBER (AUS)

BIOGRAPHY: Mark Webber was born in Queanbeyan on 27th August 1976. The only driver in the big four teams without a championship title to his name, Webber has nevertheless been a consistently successful driver throughout his career, having variously won the 1996 Formula Ford Festival, four races in International Formula 3000 (as well as being the series runner-up in 2001) and five wins towards being the season runner-up in the 1998 FIA GT Championship.

F1 PEDIGREE: A veteran of 139 Grands Prix, Webber finally broke his duck in Germany last season with a typically bullish drive from his first ever F1 pole position. An effortlessly smooth triumph in Brazil followed, as well as 3 fastest laps. But for a spell of mediocre races in mid-summer, Webber looked the more likely of the two Red Bull drivers to take the fight to the Brawn GP team. Such a series of non-races was very much uncharacteristic of Webber, as reliable a driver as there is in Formula 1.

PROSPECTS: Webber was excellent in 2009. His first win was a masterpiece of heads-down Aussie aggression and raw speed, his second a masterclass from a driver who looked as though he'd been winning Grands Prix his whole life. His biggest problem is the bloke in the other car. Webber is one of the sport's greatest qualifiers, but last season saw Vettel blitz him 18-1, Webber's sole qualifying success being a pole position. Webber now looks like a driver capable of winning on a consistent basis and, by extension, is a potential World Champion. The thing is, can he really beat Sebastian Vettel over 19 rounds in the same car?

IN A IDEAL WORLD: Mark Webber becomes the most popular World Champion since Jesse Owens.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Kimi Räikkönen ends his WRC adventure after one season.

Formula 1 2010 - the drivers (7-12)

The 2010 Formula 1 World Championship begins in Bahrain this Friday morning and it promises to be one of the most open in years. On the days leading up to the start of practice, I'll be taking a look at the 24 runners and riders taking part this year. Today, Ferrari, Williams and Renault.

FERRARI

After a dismal 2009, Ferrari started work on their F10 car in the middle of last season. Predictably, it has been at the sharp end of pre-season testing from the beginning, and the Scuderia arrive in Bahrain as one of the favourites.

Car 7: FELIPE MASSA (BR)

BIOGRAPHY: Felipe Massa was born in São Paulo on 25th April 1983. Flamboyant but always very fast, Massa cut a swathe through the single-seater formulae, winning the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet title in 1999, before moving to Europe and adding the Italian and European Formula Renault crowns in 2000 and the European Formula 3000 title in 2001.

F1 PEDIGREE: Massa made his Formula 1 debut in 2002 for Sauber, where he continued in his elbows-out swashbuckling style. However, at the top level, his lack of refinement cost him speed, and for 2003 he moved to Ferrari as a test driver. It proved to be a formative season, under the wing of Michael Schumacher. Retaining his speed but with less rough edges, Massa returned for two more seasons with Sauber in 2004, before moving to Ferrari as number 2 driver in 2006. He won two races that season, and three in 2007 as his teammate Kimi Räikkönen won the World Championship. Massa really came of age in 2008, winning more races than anyone and missing out on the title by a single point to Lewis Hamilton at the final race. He entered the 2009 championship as favourite, but was let down by the shortcomings of his car, before a freak accident in Hungary fractured his skull and left him lucky to be alive. Massa has started 114 Grands Prix, winning eleven.

PROSPECTS: A lot depends on how well Massa has recovered from his accident in Hungary last year, both physically and psychologically. As well as brain swelling, Massa sustained an injury to his eye, something which historically can put paid to the ultimate speed of a racing driver. Moreover, the fact that the accident was absolutely nothing to do with his own fault may yet play on his mind. If all of this has been put aside, as he is confident that it has, there is no reason why he can't be a force once again in 2010. He'll win races.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: In an absolute ideal world, Massa would finally win the world championship, but I think it's likely to be one season too soon for him after an accident of that magnitude. The best he can hope for is to match his new teammate in qualifying and win a handful of Grands Prix.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: There is a slim chance that Massa will face a realisation that he can't accept the risk of Formula 1 any more and walk away. It's very unlikely, however.

Car 8: FERNANDO ALONSO (E)

BIOGRAPHY: Fernando Alonso was born in Oviedo on 29th July 1981. Something of a prodigy in a country better known for producing motorcycle racers than racing drivers, he won the Open Fortuna by Nissan series in 1999, before going on to win at Spa in the following year's International Formula 3000 series.

F1 PEDIGREE: Extensive. Until Sebastian Vettel came on the scene, Alonso was the youngest driver ever to win an F1 pole and to win a World Championship Grand Prix, in Hungary 2003. Before Lewis Hamilton, he was also the youngest ever World Champion. He began his career at Minardi in 2001, impressing many in an awful car. A season as Renault's tester followed, before a step up to the race team in 2003. In 2005 he won the Formula 1 World Championship aged 24, following it up with a second title in 2006, becoming the sport's youngest ever double-World Champion. A difficult but competitive year at McLaren followed, followed by a troubled two-season return to Renault which saw him add just two further wins. All things being equal, Alonso is perhaps the most complete driver in Formula 1. He is also probably the only man ever to have beaten Michael Schumacher to the world title in equal machinery. His record is 21 wins from 139 starts, and a seriously impressive points-per-start ratio of 4.151.

PROSPECTS: After a ruinous 2009, Alonso will be like a coiled spring in 2010. He'll want to get back to winning ways as soon as possible, and as ever, if the car is anything like good enough to do so he'll be there straight away. Relentlessly consistent and brilliantly canny, I think Alonso will be the 2010 World Champion.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: World title number 3 beckons.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Alonso is outpaced and outraced by Felipe Massa.


WILLIAMS-COSWORTH

Although not the force they once were, Williams had a solid 2009. It could have been even better still, had they had two good drivers instead of one - the team's points tally last season were all accrued by Nico Rosberg. The FW32 promises more of the same, neat and showing promise in pre-season testing. However, 5th place in the Constructor's standings is as good as they can realistically hope for.

Car 9: RUBENS BARRICHELLO (BR)

BIOGRAPHY: Rubens Barrichello was born in São Paulo on 23rd May 1972. His early single-seater success came in Britain, winning the Formula Vauxhall Lotus series in 1990 and then Formula 3 in 1991. However, he was also prone to mistakes, one of which cost him the Blue Riband Formula 3 Masters in the latter year. His one season of Formula 3000 showed him adding consistency - perhaps at the expense of ultimate speed. Finishing third in the 1992 series, scoring points in all but one race, Barrichello's best single results were two second-places.

F1 PEDIGREE: Barrichello is the most experienced Formula 1 driver of all time, having entered 288 Grand Prix with Jordan, Stewart, Ferrari, Honda and Brawn. He's also won eleven times and finished as the championship runner-up on two occasions (2002 and 2004). However, it was his performance last year, in his 17th full campaign, that really was the most impressive yet. As Jenson Button increasingly stuggled with the Brawn car, Barrichello got better and better, winning two races and pushing the Briton all the way to the flag. He's fast, consistent, hugely experienced and still one of the fastest wet-weather drivers in the field. Don't discount, either, the fact that he starts the season as one of only two drivers to have driven in pre-mid race refuelling Formula 1.

PROSPECTS: 18 seasons and 285 starts don't seemed to have dulled Barrichello's passion. He still looks driven by the thought he has something to prove at this level, and to that end it is worth saying that in the past three seasons, he has driven better than at any time before in his epic F1 career. If he keeps up the same standard and the motivation remains, there's no reason to believe Rubens won't rack up 350+ Grands Prix.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: It would probably take a crazy race, most likely in the wet conditions in which he so excels, for Barrichello to win a race in 2010, but it would be hugely popular. Realistically, a podium or three would be terrific.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Barrichello is outpaced and outraced by a rookie teammate and finally walks away from the sport come the autumn.

Car 10: NICO HÜLKENBERG (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Nico Hülkenberg was born in Emmerich am Rhein on 19th August 1987. Ominously for his rivals, his career path is very similar to that of Lewis Hamilton, as Hülkenberg arrives in F1 having just scythed his way to the Formula 3 Euroseries and GP2 Series crowns in successive years. Also the winner of the 2005 German Formula BMW title, the 2007 A1 Grand Prix championship for Germany and the 2007 Formula 3 Masters - plus a race winner in the GP2 Asia Series - Hülkenberg is also represented by Michael Schumacher's old manager, Willi Weber.

F1 PEDIGREE: Williams' test driver for several years, 2010 is Hülkenberg's first Formula 1 season on the race team.

PROSPECTS: The sky seems to be the limit for Hülkenberg. If Williams' car is as competitive as it has seemed in pre-season testing, there's no reason whatsoever that he won't be able to match the results of his epically experienced teammate. Having Barrichello's huge knowledge in the other garage won't do him any harm either. This could be the start of one of this decade's biggest Formula 1 careers.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A podium finish or two.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Hülkenberg joins the ranks of drivers who never quite make their mark in Formula 1, after stellar early careers.


RENAULT

Renault had as horrible a season as it's possible to have without loss of life in 2009. An uncompetitive car, internal political strife and then the Crashgate bomb dropped. Unsurprisingly, the Régie seriously considered pulling out of the sport during the winter. Instead, they sold the team to the Swiss investment firm Genii Capital. An interim year is most likely on the cards.

Car 11: ROBERT KUBICA (PL)

BIOGRAPHY: Robert Kubica was born in Warsaw on 7th December 1984. Poland's first real superstar racing driver, Kubica's early career is best summed up as impressive but never overly so. A race winner in every discipline he has tried, his sole championship success came in the World Series by Renault in 2005.

F1 PEDIGREE: Kubica made the step up from test driver after Jacques Villeneuve walked away from BMW Sauber in 2006. He instantly made an impression, qualifying in the top 10 for his first Grand Prix and finishing in the points, albeit that he was later disqualified for technical irregularities. However, a podium finish a couple of races down the line at Monza really put him on the map, and guaranteed him a three-year stint with BMW. 2007 was difficult, outpaced by Nick Heidfeld and involved in a huge roll in Canada which saw him have to sit out the following week's US GP. In 2008 he took a big step forward, winning in Montreal and being a serious if unexpected title contender right up until the penultimate race. 2009 should have been his best chance yet, but he simply didn't have the car. His career so far has taken in 57 races, with 1 win, 1 pole position and 137 points.

PROSPECTS: The fate of Kubica's season lies, once again, very much in the quality of his machinery. Should the car go well, he's already proved he is capable of getting the job done on a consistent basis. If it doesn't, his head tends to go down a little, although to his credit his on-track performances don't seem to suffer as a result. Kubica, given the right opportunity, is still a potential World Championship contender. Not a chance in 2010, though.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A podium finish.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Kubica spends another year floridly outlining the flaws in his car over the pit radio for the entertainment of the watching world during Friday practice sessions.

Car 12: VITALY PETROV (RU)

BIOGRAPHY: Vitaly Petrov was born in Vyborg on 8th September 1984. A hugely successful driver in his native Russia, he won the Formula Lada Cup in 2002, Russian Formula Renault 1600 series in 2005 and the Lada Revolution Series in 2006. Stepping up to the European stage has seen him continue to build on this. In GP2 he won races in each of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons, scoring twice in last season's series to finish as the championship runner-up to Nico Hülkenberg. A season in GP2 Asia gave a similar return, with wins in both the 2008 and 2009 campaigns seeing him finish 3rd and 5th overall in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

F1 PEDIGREE: Russia's first ever Formula 1 driver is another of 2010's rookies.

PROSPECTS: There's a solidity to Petrov's career so far, coupled with an unassumingness which could see him spring a surprise or two in his debut year. I expect that his teammate will have the measure of him over the course of the season, but equally would not be surprised to see Petrov stay in Formula 1 for the forseeable future.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A podium finish, perhaps. Consistent points scoring, too, would be very welcome after two years of floundering second drivers.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: People start to wonder if there's not another Eastern European country to find racing drivers in.

Tomorrow: McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull.

Formula 1 2010 - the drivers (14-19)

The 2010 Formula 1 World Championship begins in Bahrain this Friday morning and it promises to be one of the most open in years. On the days leading up to the start of practice, I'll be taking a look at the 24 runners and riders taking part this year. Today, Force India, Scuderia Toro Rosso and Lotus Racing.


FORCE INDIA-MERCEDES

The VJM02 car took a lot of people by surprise towards the end of last season, with a series of exceptional performances on the faster tracks. This year's VJM03 car has shown that this was not an accident with a series of performances in pre-season testing which were, at the very worst, solid. A serious battle for 5th place in the Constructors' Cup beckons.

Car 14: ADRIAN SUTIL (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Adrian Sutil was born in Starnberg on 11th January 1983. A long-time friend and teammate of Lewis Hamilton, Sutil spent much of his European racing career in the Briton's shadow. The winner of the 2002 Swiss Formula Ford 1800 series, it was not until he went to Japan that he scored his first major single-seater championship success, the 2006 All-Japan Formula 3 title.

F1 PEDIGREE: 2010 will be Adrian Sutil's 4th Formula 1 season. He has driven in 52 races but scored points on just two occasions, one of which - a battling 4th place at Monza last Autumn - gave him his best ever championship placing of 17th. Much of that has been down to shortcomings in the car, but the shortcomings of his current mount are becoming less and less by the race. He needs to perform in 2010.

PROSPECTS: Sutil seems to be the modern-day Andrea de Cesaris. Sometimes fast - sometimes incredibly so - but too often embroiled in chaos of his own making. His natural speed and talent is made abundantly clear by his consistently excellent performances in the wet and at Monaco. However, performing brilliantly for 85% of the race distance before taking two or more corners off the car just doesn't cut it at this level. With Paul di Resta - a highly-rated young Scot - now in place as the team's third driver, Sutil needs to add some reliability to temper his speed, and quickly.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Adrian Sutil finishes every single race of the season, accruing a hatful of points for his patient employers.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Sutil continues his one-man quest to start a Formula 1 parts business and is replaced by Paul di Resta in mid-season.

Car 15: VITANTONIO LIUZZI (I)

BIOGRAPHY: Vitantonio Liuzzi was born in Locorotondo on 6th August 1981. A player on the scene in European single seaters for almost a decade, Liuzzi's biggest claim to fame so far was his success in the 2004 International Formula 3000 championship, the last Formula 3000 series before it was replaced by GP2. Having finished 4th the previous season, Liuzzi produced a record-breaking send off for the series, winning 7 out of 10 events.

F1 PEDIGREE: A Red Bull protegé, Liuzzi made his Formula 1 bow at Imola in 2005, driving for the factory team. In 2006 and 2007 he ran full campaigns for their junior Toro Rosso outfit. All in all, he has scored points on 4 occasions in 44 races, with a best of 6th. This year should prove to be his best opportunity yet to show what he can do with a competitive car.

PROSPECTS: Liuzzi has never really shown the form that won him the F3000 title at the top level. However, he is a popular and respected competitor amongst his fellow practitioners. He's solid if unspectacular, which arguably makes him the ideal foil for Adrian Sutil. However, I expect him to outscore the German over the course of the full season.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Liuzzi gets a slice of luck somewhere and sneaks onto the podium.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Liuzzi is outpaced and outscored by Adrian Sutil, with only his lower repair bills saving him from the mid-season chop.


SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO-FERRARI

2010 sees a big step forward for the Red Bull junior team, with their STR5 car the first they have produced without any design assistance from the factory outfit. This is a shame for them, as last year's Red Bull car ended the season as the undeniable class of the field. They'll be looking to get into the fight to be the best of the midfield teams, with Force India, Sauber, Williams and Renault, but I don't think they'll quite have the puff.

Car 16: SÉBASTIEN BUEMI (CH)

BIOGRAPHY: Sébastien Buemi was born in Aigle on 31st October 1988. Despite his youth, he's proved a very capable driver in both Formula 3 and GP2, with multiple race wins to his name in either category. However, he is yet to win a major single-seater title.

F1 PEDIGREE: Question marks were raised over Buemi as he began his first year in Formula 1 in 2009. A 20-year old Swiss driver is hardly the stuff Formula 1 legends are made of. As it turned out, he was one of the finds of the year. Never out of place at the top table, Buemi went on to make a thorough nuisance of himself throughout the season, twice qualifying in the top 10 on pace alone and scoring points on 4 occasions - including in Melbourne on his debut.

PROSPECTS: After such a solid debut year, 2010 could prove the difficult second season for Buemi. Now very much the team leader at STR, despite his tender years, he has to continue to show his potential whilst also shouldering more responsibility. I think it could prove a difficult ask. However, we all thought the same thing last year.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Buemi continues in the same vein as 2009, getting more points on the board.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Buemi is outpaced by his teammate and finds himself facing life as an F1 reject aged just 22.

Car 17: JAIME ALGUERSUARI (E)

BIOGRAPHY: Jaime Alguersuari was born in Barcelona on 23rd March 1990. He is the first Formula 1 driver to have been born in that decade. However, although he's still not 20, he has two championship titles to his name: the 2006 Italian Formula Renault Winter Series and the prestigious British Formula 3 championship in 2008.

F1 PEDIGREE: The youngest man ever to start a Grand Prix, Alguersuari was very much thrown in at the deep end in Hungary 2009. With in-season testing at that time banned - it has since been amended to allow drivers who have not driven a Grand Prix in the last 2 years have a day's practice before starting a race meeting - Alguersuari did an admirable job of qualifying at a very respectable pace and then finishing the race. His lack of experience began to tell in some later races, with inconsistency and accidents creeping in on a Sunday afternoon. His best finish in Formula 1 is 12th place.

PROSPECTS: Alguersuari was mightily impressive in the way he acquitted himself in 2009, as the challenge he faced was an enormous one. His next big test is to take a step up in performance, having had a full winter's testing programme. I expect good things from Alguersuari, but not quite yet.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A series of solid race finishes, culminating in some points here and there.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Alguersuari finds himself back in a testing role as Red Bull move another of their young drivers into the race seat for 2011.


LOTUS RACING-COSWORTH

The T127 car was literally not even conceived of, let alone drawn or built as late as September 2009, so its place on the grid in Bahrain is little short of miraculous. Their pre-season testing times have been less so... indeed, at times they have been little short of embarrassing. However, there is solid investment behind the project, a good engineering team and experienced drivers. Things will get better as the season draws on.

Car 18: JARNO TRULLI (I)

BIOGRAPHY: Jarno Trulli was born in Pescara on 13th July 1974. He won the prestigious German Formula 3 championship aged 22 in 1996.

F1 PEDIGREE: Trulli starts 2010 as the field's third most experienced driver, a veteran of 219 Grand Prix. He made his debut in Australia in 1997 for Minardi, moving to Prost after Olivier Panis broke his legs at the Canadian race. In his 13th race, he led the Austrian Grand Prix for half its distance, but from then on his potential has never truly been realised. Later a driver for Jordan, Renault and Toyota, Trulli is invariably a better qualifier than he is a racer, although he has eleven podium finishes including one Grand Prix win to his name - at Monaco in 2004, also the year in which he enjoyed his best ever championship position of 6th.

PROSPECTS: Experienced, yes, and a brilliant qualifier, but Jarno Trulli has always flattered to deceive at the top level. Time after time his pace fades badly on race day, to the extent that rival teams' strategists plan contingencies should their car get caught in one of his legendary midfield Trulli trains. The pity is that in modern Formula 1, with its strictly limited testing, that a driver of Trulli's experience is utterly invaluable despite his shortcomings.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Jarno Trulli will find more speed on race day than he did in qualifying and not hold anybody up all year.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Trulli will flounder about at the back but never, ever get fired until he is 95-years old.

Car 19: HEIKKI KOVALAINEN (SF)

BIOGRAPHY: Heikki Kovalainen was born in Suomussalmi on 19th October 1981. Hugely experienced and very successful in European single-seater racing, Kovalainen first made his name in Britain before adding the World Series by Nissan title to his CV in 2004. The following season he finished as runner-up to Nico Rosberg in the inaugural GP2 Series, with a very respectable five race wins. Outside of competitive motorsport, he is perhaps best known as having beaten Michael Schumacher in the final of the 2004 Race of Champions rally event.

F1 PEDIGREE: Kovalainen made his race debut for Renault in 2007, having stepped up from test driver. It was a slow start in a tricky car, but he eventually started to find his feet to score some good results, including an excellent 2nd at a streaming wet Fuji Speedway in 2007. A move to McLaren for 2008 and 2009 saw him go one better, inheriting a victory in the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix after Felipe Massa's Ferrari engine failed. This makes Lotus the only team from outside the big four to boast two Grand Prix-winning drivers on its books.

PROSPECTS: Kovalainen's reputation and confidence has taken a significant hit alongside Lewis Hamilton for the past two seasons. In 2008 he looked to be still finding his feet, but scored a win, a pole and some fastest laps and looked to be building up to a better 2009. The car's shortcomings put a stop to that, but whilst Hamilton never stopped improving throughout a difficult season, Kovalainen seemed mired in the midfield, even when the car had developed past that level. He has much to prove in 2010. Beating Jarno Trulli would be a useful start for rebuilding his reputation, especially in qualifying.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Kovalainen outqualifies Trulli more often than not. A point if they get really, really lucky.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Kovalainen's stock in F1 hangs by a thread after his mauling at McLaren, and a season of coming off second-best to Jarno Trulli will most likely see him having to find another form of motorsport to try.

Tomorrow: Ferrari, Williams and Renault.

Formula 1 2010 - the drivers (20-25)

The 2010 Formula 1 World Championship begins in Bahrain this Friday morning and it promises to be one of the most open in years. On the days leading up to the start of practice, I'll be taking a look at the 24 runners and riders taking part this year. Today, HRT, Sauber and Virgin Racing.

HISPANIA RACING TEAM (HRT)-COSWORTH

The HRT car, designated the HRT, has been designed by Dallara. However, due to the team's own financial problems, delivery was not taken until the week after the last official test of the pre-season. As such, the HRT seems likely to not turn a wheel until the first Free Practice session of the morning. HRT will most likely treat the first Grand Prix of 2010 as an extended test session. Reliability will be the best they can hope for in the early races, as I anticipate the car will prove significantly slower than all of its rivals, initially at least.

Car 20: KARUN CHANDHOK (IND)

BIOGRAPHY: Karun Chandhok was born in Chennai on 19th January 1984. He was the Formula Asia champion in 2001, and the Formula Asia V6 by Renault champion in 2006. From 2007 onwards, he has been racing mainly in Europe's GP2 series. A winner of two races, Chandhok has otherwise been fairly inconsistent, resulting in a best championship placing of 10th in 2008. A stint in the winter GP2 Asia series proved less successful still.

F1 PEDIGREE: 2010 is Chandhok's first season in Formula 1.

PROSPECTS: Let's face it, Chandhok is in a F1 race seat for his nationality as much as anything else. FOM are keen to exploit the huge Indian market, with a view to an Indian Grand Prix in 2011 or 2012. This is not to say that Chandhok is a rubbish driver. However, I would argue that there were several of his contemporaries on the European single-seater circuit better placed for his drive in terms of racing CV alone. Bernie Ecclestone has called today for people to be patient with Chandhok, a fairly significant indication of the position Chandhok is occupying in the sport.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Chandhok will find his feet quickly and equal the pace set by his teammate throughout the season.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Chandhok finds himself stuck fast to the bottom of the timesheets whilst cynical people like me continue to moan on about pay drivers, the relationship of sport to business in the modern world and the politics of nationality.

Car 21: BRUNO SENNA (BR)

BIOGRAPHY: Bruno Senna was born in São Paulo on 15th October 1983. His mother, Viviane Lalli, is the elder sister of 3-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna. Unlike his uncle, Bruno Senna arrives in Formula 1 with no single seater championship titles to his name. However, he is a proven race winner in a number of categories, and finished as runner-up in the 2008 GP2 series. During that campaign, he won the prestigious GP2 Monaco race.

F1 PEDIGREE: Like his teammate, Senna starts 2010 as a rookie.

PROSPECTS: Bruno Senna, like Karun Chandhok, is arguably in Formula 1 for reasons supplementary to his skill alone. In Senna's case, it is the surname which has opened doors. However, he has nevertheless always made the most of the opportunities it has afforded him. Some drivers blaze a trail to the summit of single-seater racing and then flounder in Formula 1. Others have a more solid and unspectacular route, but make full use of their chance in F1 when it presents. I have a feeling Senna too will prove to be of the latter category.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Senna overcomes the disadvantage of the lack of time with the car, scores a point or two and lays the foundation for a long-term career in F1.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Senna is outpaced by Karun Chandhok.


BMW SAUBER-FERRARI

Sauber return to Formula 1 as a constructor for the first time since 2005. Their C29 car is based on what would have been the BMW F1.10, and thanks to the uniquely silly way Formula 1 works, the team retain the BMW name even though the car will be powered by a Ferrari engine. Nomenclature aside, the Sauber car has shown good pace in pre-season tests, and may prove to be a good outside best for the best-of-the-rest 5th place in this year's Constructors' Cup.

Car 22: PEDRO DE LA ROSA (E)

BIOGRAPHY: Pedro de la Rosa was born in Barcelona on 24th February 1971. A driver of huge experience and pedigree, his earliest single seater title (Spanish Formula Fiat) came in 1989. The following year he added the Spanish Formula Ford crown, and then the European Formula Renault, British Formula Renault( both 1992), All-Japan Formula 3 (1995), Formula Nippon and All-Japan GT (both 1997) championships to his weighty CV.

F1 PEDIGREE: For a driver of his calibre, de la Rosa has driven surprisingly few Grands Prix - 72 - between 1999 and 2002 and 2005 and 2006. His best result was 2nd place in the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, with 11th place in the final standings in the same year his best championship result. From 2005 to 2009 he was the test driver for McLaren Mercedes.

PROSPECTS: De la Rosa may have wondered if his time as a racing driver in Formula 1 had passed. However, he is a spirited, consistent and skillful performer, whose experience will prove invaluable to the team.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A podium finish may not prove out of the question, if some of the leading runners inconvenience themselves. De la Rosa will probably be aiming for regular points finishes in 2010.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: De la Rosa finds himself comprehensively outpaced by his rookie teammate and quietly sneaks out of the back door come the season's end.

Car 23: KAMUI KOBAYASHI (J)

BIOGRAPHY: Kamui Kobayashi was born in Amagasaki on 13th September 1986. Like a lot of his Japanese contemporaries, Kobayashi has looked towards Europe to further their single-seater career rather than stay in their own country's motor racing ladder as they tended to in the previous generation. Kobayashi duly won the 2005 Italian and European Formula Renault titles, adding the GP2 Asia Series crown in 2009.

F1 PEDIGREE: Kobayashi made his Formula 1 bow in Friday practice at the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix for Toyota, sitting in for the unwell Timo Glock. After Glock injured his back in qualifying for that race the following day, Kobayashi was promoted to the race seat for the season's final two races. His qualifying performance in impossible weather conditions in Brazil were outstanding, as was his somewhat flamboyant performance in the race. More controlled but no less impressive two weeks later in Abu Dhabi, Kobayashi finished in 6th place in just his second Grand Prix.

PROSPECTS: He was a little wild and woolly in his races last season, but there's no doubting that the speed is very much there. The question is now whether he can retain it, whilst reigning in some of his rougher edges. If he can, Kobayashi may prove to be the man to one day be Japan's first Grand Prix winner.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A podium finish, perhaps.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Kobayashi is outpaced by de la Rosa and he continues to prove unpredictable on track.


VIRGIN RACING-COSWORTH

The VR-01 car has been designed by Nick Wirth, exclusively using Computational Fluid Dynamics rather than the traditional route of scale models and windtunnel time. A bold move, and one which was called into question after a spate of front wing failures in early testing. However, the key worry now for the team - who are run at the circuit by the experienced John Booth and his Manor Motorsport outfit - is reliability, particularly in its hydraulic system. A brand new team for 2010, Virgin will have to overcome this problem if they want to be the best of the new intake.

Car 24: TIMO GLOCK (D)

BIOGRAPHY: Timo Glock was born in Lindenfels on 18th March 1982. Also a race winner in the Formula 3 Euroseries, he won the BMW Formula ADAC championship in 2001 and then went on to take the GP2 crown in 2007. He is one of four GP2 Series champions to be competing in Formula 1 this season. Glock is also a former winner of the CART Champ Car World Series rookie of the year award.

F1 PEDIGREE: Glock in fact made his Grand Prix debut at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2004. At the time he was the test driver for Jordan, and stepped up when regular driver Giorgio Pantano fell ill. He impressed with a points finish in 7th place, earning him a handful of other drives towards the end of the season. Champ Cars followed with reasonable success but no race wins, before he took the step back down to GP2 in 2006. After 7 race wins and the 2007 title, he was hired by Toyota for 2008. His first full season was impressive, his second a little more average in relation to the increased expectation. Despite this relatively disappointing second season, he has 3 podium finishes (two seconds and one third) to his name from just 36 starts.

PROSPECTS: A lot was expected of Glock in 2009 after his debut season, but he struggled to live up to the expectations on a consistent basis. On the whole, he outpaced Jarno Trulli when it really mattered on race day, and scored a second and a third-place finish. Virgin Racing offer him a new challenge of being the leader in a new team. Hopes are still high for his future at this moment in time, but he still has much to prove.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: A season of consistency, where the only variable is the performance of his car, yields a number of points finishes.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Glock fails to stamp his authority on the team and his rookie teammate and finds his shiny newcomer credentials have well and truly dimmed.

Car 25: LUCAS DI GRASSI (BR)

BIOGRAPHY: Lucas di Grassi was born in São Paulo on 11th August 1984. In a career without any single-seater titles to his name, di Grassi has nevertheless managed to be a consistent threat to his rivals. He won the blue riband Macau Grand Prix of Formula 3 in 2005, and is one of the GP2 Series' most successful ever drivers, with five race wins and final championship positions of 2nd, 3rd and 3rd to his name between 2007 and 2009.

F1 PEDIGREE: Lucas di Grassi starts 2010 as a rookie, though he has been a Renault test driver for a number of seasons.

PROSPECTS: As I said before, some drivers only really flower when given the opportunity to drive in Formula 1. Di Grassi is another pilot who, I feel, has all the necessary qualities to fit this bill. As well as significant European single-seater experience, he is also very consistent from race to race. This could prove an invaluable quality for his new team in their battle to be the best of the newcomers.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD: Di Grassi matches Glock in both pace and in points scoring.

IF THE WHEELS COME OFF: Di Grassi finds himself back in GP2.

Tomorrow: Force India, Scuderia Toro Rosso and Lotus Racing.

Jacques comes back

It now looks more probable than possible that 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will be back on the Formula 1 grid in 2010. Rumour now has it that he will be announced as a Lotus driver some time next week. However, unlike the stir that Michael Schumacher has now twice caused with potential comebacks in 2009, the news Villeneuve is to return has barely even registered beyond a ripple amongst hardened fans and nerdy types.

In a way, this is very understandable, as Villeneuve is possessed of a particularly unusual career history in the world's premier single-seater category. Perhaps only Emerson Fittipaldi, who won 2 titles in his first 4 years in the sport then spent a further 6 tooling around in the pack driving for his family team, can match it. In Jacques' first 33 races in the sport, he won eleven times and finished no lower than second in the drivers' championship standings. In the subsequent 131 he did no better than four 3rd places and fifth in the final table.


Much of the reason for this will be put at the door of his decision, mid-1998, to leave the Williams team and join his long-time manager Craig Pollock at British American Racing. His first season with the team built around him was an unmitigated disaster: he failed to finish any of the first eleven races of the year and finished without a point to his name. He stayed with the team for an additional 4 seasons, but rarely looked anything but a midfield runner. In 2004 he took a sabbatical year, save for three races at Renault towards the end of the season, before an 18-month return to the sport with Sauber and BMW. When he walked out of his broken car at the German Grand Prix in 2006, however, it looked very much like he was done with Formula 1, sick to death and glad to be rid of it.

Because the simple fact of the matter is, Villeneuve never, ever got to grips with Formula 1's grooved tyre era. A vocal opponent of the change, when the ludicrous rubber actually appeared in 1998, Villeneuve was never the same driver again. So reliant on absolute commitment and late braking for his speed, Villeneuve lost his edge, lost his confidence, then lost everything. Perhaps the saddest sight of all was of a once-great driver at all kinds of lurid angles in his early days at Sauber in 2005, damn-nearly completely unable to make his car brake in a straight line.

Yes, there are questions about his decision to join BAR and his suitability thereafter as a team leader and as a focal point for a squad's development. But I honestly think that, with different tyres, we'd have seen a different Jacques. And a different Jacques could have meant the recent history of Grand Prix racing could have been a little different.

There's now a whole new generation of motor racing fans who, though they may remember Villeneuve the midfield runner, may not think of him in any other way. If you were born on the day Villeneuve won his last Grand Prix, you would now be 12-years old and at secondary school. The news that Jacques Villeneuve has been tempted back across the Atlantic by the new Formula and, crucially, its slick tyres, would most likely have failed to excite you. However, with a bit of luck, 2010 may give us glimpses of a return to the old Villeneuve - rear wheels almost perpetually on the limits of the exit kerbs, brakes locked and at maximum attack, the Villeneuve who, between 1995 and 1997 won the Indy 500, the Indycar championship, 11 Grands Prix and the world title. Just to have a driver of his pedigree and personality back in the sport would be treat enough for me. But if his car allows him to recapture his old form, he's going to make an indeleble mark on a whole new generation of impressionable young minds.

2010 new teams for 2010

One of the oft-cited fears about next season's Formula 1 World Championship (during the achingly-predictable political squabbles and threats of a breakaway series that characterised much of the early part of 2009 season) was that without the big-name teams, the sport would be lacking in credibility. An all-new look F1, led by a vanguard of Williams and Force India and largely powered by Cosworth engines seemed, for a time, to be on the cards. This never particularly bothered me - I'm more interested in historical continuity than following big names like Red Bull Racing (who?) around wherever they go. For some, however, it was a real sticking point, to the point where Ferrari even used its lengthening shadow to gain leverage in the propaganda battle.

With the new Concorde Agreement signed and all the usual suspects still in place, 2010 will nevertheless have a very different make-up. Toyota and BMW are gone and - if strong rumours are to be believed - Renault are about to follow them and be run by and badged as David Richards' Prodrive operation for the next few years. There are already going to be four brand new teams lining up at Bahrain next March. With Prodrive and a probable entry for Sauber, the eponymous Peter having completed negotiations with BMW to buy back his old team earlier this week, it would make six. Serbian team Stefan Grand Prix are also trying to find a way in for 2010, rumours having them putting in an offer for Toyota's entry. Not even last years' Constructors' champions will be on the grid in the same form, of course, now that Brawn are rebadged as Mercedes GP.

That leaves us with a probable field of 26 cars and 13 teams, only six of whom competed in their current form in the 2009 World Championship. However, far from being a sign of a sport battling for credibility, Formula 1 is showing signs of enormous growth. OK, the years of plenty have gone, with big car manufacturers unwilling to plough huge amounts of money into a sport where they'll probably be beaten by a British outfit who built their chassis in a shed in Milton Keynes and then cobbled an old V8 into the back of it. But those garagistes were precisely the people who dominated the boom period of Grand Prix racing's huge growth to worldwide prominence in the 1970s and 1980s and precisely the people who the big car companies had to beat. The fact that they didn't and then chucked in the towel only reflects badly on one of the parties.

The irony of this situation is that it was the outbreak of common sense and unity within FOCA and the FIA which has allowed these developments. Through all the threats, counter-threats and posturing - for all the worries about big-name teams departing - all concerned have contrived to create a sport which, though retaining the thread of its heritage and prestige, is nevertheless an attractive and achievable prospect for newcomers. Indeed, the new regulations are even showing signs of tempting new investment from car companies - Volkswagen are said to be looking in to F1 engine supply for 2012 onwards.

It's also good news for the drivers. More cars means more opportunities to get onto the grid, and more drivers on the grid means more excitement and interest for the spectators. Because, and let's hope that Formula 1 teams never forget this, it's drivers who the majority of people come to see. The only loss to Formula 1 2010, then, is some big-name car companies. And I for one think that the loss is all theirs.

Stepping stones

Time was that the British Formula 3 championship was one of the premier breeding grounds for Formula 1 drivers. In the 1980s, for example, only one of its champion drivers did not make it to the top level - Andy Wallace - who nevertheless went on to be one of his generation's best sportscar drivers. The 1990s started similarly well, the first two British F3 champions of that decade being Mika Häkkinen and Rubens Barrichello. However, after that only two of their fellows made it into Formula 1 - although 1992 champion Gil de Ferran won multiple Indycar championships in America. The noughties had an identical strike rate, with four of the ten champions only making it to Formula 1 - Antonio Pizzonia, Takuma Sato, Nelsinho Piquet and Jaime Alguersauri. However, this last decade has also acquired the dubious honour of the first in the championship's history where none of its champion alumni have gone on to win a Grand Prix.

Sadly for the series, which enters its sixtieth season in 2010, this pattern looks set to continue. Not only does it face stern competition for the top drivers from the F3 Euroseries, but 2010 sees the debut year for the GP3 series, running as a support series for GP2 and Formula 1 at European race weekends and under the noses of all the great and good of the F1 firmament.

Today's list, then, is the 2009 season's twenty-five drivers and the feeder series they competed in as their final step up to Formula 1. As a bonus I have listed eleven other drivers who make up, with the 2009 fields four world champions, the last fifteen Formula 1 title winners. Where a driver came from a series of similar stature (i.e. the top of its own little food chain), their step up to that championship is also listed.

JAIME ALGUERSAURI British Formula 3 (champion)
FERNANDO ALONSO International Formula 3000
LUCA BADOER International Formula 3000 (champion)
RUBENS BARRICHELLO International Formula 3000
SÉBASTIEN BOURDAIS CART Champ Cars World Series (4-time champion), International Formula 3000 (champion)
SÉBASTIEN BUEMI GP2 Series
JENSON BUTTON British Formula 3
GIANCARLO FISICHELLA International Touring Car championship, Italian Formula 3 (champion)
TIMO GLOCK Formula 3 Euroseries (second attempt: GP2 series (champion)
ROMAIN GROSJEAN GP2 series
LEWIS HAMILTON GP2 series (champion)
NICK HEIDFELD International Formula 3000 (champion)
KAMUI KOBAYASHI GP2 series
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN GP2 series
ROBERT KUBICA World Series by Renault (champion)
VITANTONIO LIUZZI International Formula 3000 (champion)
FELIPE MASSA Italian/European Formula 3000 (champion in both)
KAZUKI NAKAJIMA GP2 series
NELSINHO PIQUET GP2 series
KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN British Formula Renault (champion)
NICO ROSBERG GP2 series (champion)
ADRIAN SUTIL All-Japan Formula 3 (champion)
JARNO TRULLI German Formula 3 (champion)
SEBASTIAN VETTEL World Series by Renault
MARK WEBBER International Formula 3000

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER World Sports Car championship, German Formula 3 (champion)
MIKA HÄKKINEN British Formula 3 (champion)
JACQUES VILLENEUVE CART Indycars (champion), Toyota Formula Atlantic
DAMON HILL International Formula 3000
ALAIN PROST European Formula 3 (champion)
NIGEL MANSELL British Formula 3
AYRTON SENNA British Formula 3 (champion)
NELSON PIQUET British Formula 3 (champion)
NIKI LAUDA European Formula 2
KEKE ROSBERG European Formula 2
ALAN JONES Formula Atlantic

Japan's Grand Prix drivers

In the comments section for my last post, Al asked whether or not I'd discounted Kamui Kobayashi from getting a seat in the 2010 Formula 1 season. The fact of the matter is, I'd not even really considered him.

This is not a reflection of Kobayashi's ability, which I think he amply demonstrated was worthy of a full-time chance in Formula 1 in his two races last season. Some rumours, indeed, put him in the frame at Lotus for 2010. It's more of a reflection on the nature of Japanese Grand Prix drivers in the sport thus far - i.e. they are normally chosen as a means to an end, rather than on merit alone. This is not to say that Japan doesn't produce Formula 1-standard racing drivers: Japan is, after all, home to the Formula Nippon and the All-Japan Formula 3 championships, two of the most respected junior formulae on the rungs below Grand Prix motor racing. However, many of them will be passed over for a compatriot with better sponsorship or engineering ties. I think that this approach to hiring Japanese drivers has become endemic in the sport, to the point where a Japanese pilot has to be quite outstanding, perhaps much more so than a rival from a European country. Their language is too much of a barrier, goes the old theory. Formula 1's community is too alien to allow them to blossom.

There have been 18 Japanese Grand Prix drivers, 17 of whom have started Formula 1 World Championship events. The first of these did not take to the grid until 1976, the year of the first Japanese Grand Prix. Since then, due to meagre opportunities or the very best drivers being passed over in favour of less able but better-connected countrymen, it's been slim pickings. Japanese drivers are by no means the only sufferers of this curse - to get to the top in Formula 1 requires a lot of luck and good judgement on top of driving ability. However, they have been pretty badly served by the situation: Japan's F1 drivers have racked up 472 starts but scored just 87 points, with a best race finish of two 3rd places. Today's post, then, looks at these drivers and selects the five best of the crop.

Firstly, the raw stats: here are Japan's 18 GP drivers, listed in order of their points-per-starts ratio. Also shown are their number of starts, points scored and their best ever race finish:


























The pick of the crop - Japan's five best Grand Prix drivers:
5. Aguri Suzuki (1988-1995)

Suzuki was Japan's second-ever full-time Formula 1 racing driver. After an average lower formula career, Suzuki blossomed in 1988, winning the Formula Nippon (Japanese Formula 3000) championship, making his debut in Formula 1 in a one-off drive for Lola at that year's Japanese Grand Prix, finishing 11th. Moving to Zakspeed for 1989, he endured a torrid season, failing to pre-qualify for all of that season's 16 Grands Prix. In 1990 he was back at Lola, and acquitting himself well, scoring points on three occasions, including a 3rd place at Suzuka, becoming the first Japanese ever to stand on a Formula 1 podium. A second season with Lola in 1991 yielded one more point, before his final two full seasons in the sport in 1992 and 1993 were spent at Footwork Mugen-Honda, the latter year spent being respectably close to teammate Derek Warwick, often beating him on race day, although he failed to score any more points. A one-off drive at Jordan - filling in for the suspended Eddie Irvine at Aida - followed in 1994, before his Mugen-Honda connections saw him share the second Ligier seat with Martin Brundle for 1995, adding his eighth and final career point in that season's German Grand Prix.

Suzuki was never destined to be a star of Grand Prix racing. However, he was part of the vanguard of drivers who helped prove that Japanese drivers were good for more than securing sponsorship or engine deals: they could be respectably solid performers. Suzuki went on to be the team principal for the Super Aguri team who entered Formula 1 between 2006 and 2008.

4. Ukyo Katayama (1992-1997)

The man who has started more Grands Prix than any other Japanese started off as a bit of a joke. In spite of winning the 1991 Formula Nippon title, Katayama was short of stature, and of such a cheerfully amiable disposition that, combined with his rather stuttering start in the sport and his neat line in witty self-depreciation, could easily have been mistaken for gormlessness. Yes, Katayama had a tendency to make mistakes, but he was by no means alone in that regard. And yes, he had a distinctive style of nodding his head as he raced his car. However, after two sighters, full seasons with Larrousse and Tyrrell in 1992 and 1993, people were forced to stop laughing and take notice in 1994. In the neat Tyrrell 022-Yamaha car, Katayama finished 5th in the season's opening race, going on to secure a further fifth and sixth placed finish during the season. It would have been more, too, had the Tyrrell been a match for its midfield rivals in reliability or horsepower. Particularly notable was his run in Germany, where in a crash-decimated field he ran a merited 3rd until his throttle stuck open and he spun out.

So impressive was he, in fact, that he was approached at the end of the season by a top team - probably Benetton, at the time sponsored, like Katayama and Tyrrell, by Mild Seven cigarettes - with a view to driving for them in 1995. He declined due to being diagnosed with a cancer on his back, although it was very much the mark of the man that this fact did not emerge until long after his career was over and that he never tried to use it as an excuse. Katayama, perhaps slowed by this medical issue, failed to score another point in Grand Prix, either with Tyrrell in 1995 (a season in which he survived a frightening roll at the start of the Portuguese Grand Prix) and 1996, or at Minardi in 1997. By then, he was a solid performer, his old tendency towards mistakes seemingly ironed out. When he retired at the end of the season, it was marked by genuine sadness in the paddock at the loss of a universally popular character. He went on to sate his competitive instincts by climbing mountains and racing sportscars, winning the GTP class at Le Mans (finishing 2nd overall) in 1999.

3. Satoru Nakajima (1987-1991)

Nakajima was a pioneer, the first ever full-time Formula 1 driver from Japan. He was, let's face it, the price to Lotus for Honda engines in 1987. However, he was also a 5-time Japanese Formula 2 champion so it was no surprise that he acquitted himself well at the top level, although he wasn't able to match the performances of his teammate Ayrton Senna. In his debut year he finished in the points 5 times, including being the final part of a Honda-powered 1-2-3-4 at that year's British Grand Prix. More importantly still, he only failed to make the finish on 5 occasions, showing a speed allied to a solid consistency which became his trademark.

He remained at Lotus for 1988 and 1989, now alongside Nelson Piquet, but the car was growing less and less competitive and as such, his results tailed off, failing to qualify 5 times in 32 attempts. However, another of Nakajima's notable characteristics - his excellence in wet conditions - was also being brought to bear. In the 1989 Australian Grand Prix at a saturated Adelaide, Nakajima matched his best ever finish in 4th, also turning the race's fastest lap. Nakajima moved to Tyrrell in 1990 for two final seasons, scoring 5 more points in the process.

Satoru Nakajima's role in Formula 1 for Japanese drivers cannot be understated. Not only did he prove quick and consistent in his position as his country's first ever full-time pilot, but after his retirement he has worked tirelessly - through both driver and single-seater racing team management - to find and nurture his countrymen to the top of their sport. As well as his son Kazuki, Nakajima has also had a hand in the Formula 1 career of the quick-but-erratic Tora Takagi.

2. Takuma Sato (2002-2008)

Sato was one of that rare breed, a Japanese driver whose achievements on the track made him irresistible, even without any ulterior motives. Initially a little unpredictable but undeniably fast, Sato managed to harness his ability in time for the 2001 British Formula 3 season, blitzing his way to the title and also winning the Macau GP for the bargain. Hardened Formula 3 hacks at the time compared him with the young Mika Häkkinen, a fellow British F3 champion. Sato made his debut for Jordan-Honda in 2002, enduring a trying season in a difficult car. However, he delighted everyone with a fine 5th place in Suzuka. 2003 was spent as a test driver for BAR Honda, but found himself back in the race team when Jacques Villeneuve walked away from the team a race early. Sato again distinguished himself in his home race, this time finishing 6th and battling with Michael Schumacher along the way.

For 2004, Sato was a full-time BAR driver, and enjoyed one of the season's most complete packages. Though never really able to match Jenson Button's overall performance, Sato showed flashes of his speed. In Europe, he qualified in 2nd place, an all-time best for a Japanese Formula 1 driver. In the United States, he finally became the first Japanese in 14 years to match Aguri Suzuki and stand on an F1 podium. By the end of a good season, Sato had accrued 34 points, over twice as many as the career-best total of his nearest rival. 2005 at BAR was less successful with just a single point scored, the team not finding any real competitiveness until mid-season, Sato also missing 4 events due to ill-health, suspension and the Indianapolis tyre farrago.

His last seasons in the sport were spent with Super Aguri-Honda. 2006 was a glum year, driving a hopelessly outclassed car. However, 2007 was a different matter and Sato often shocked some big names, qualifying in the top ten at the season's opening race and scoring points twice, including a characteristically combative drive to 6th in Canada. 2008 finished early as the team ran out of funds, but it is the mark of the esteem in which Sato is held in the sport that his name is frequently mentioned in connection with available seats. He may well find himself on the grid again in 2010, even though his old patrons at Honda have now left the sport.

1. Kazuyoshi Hoshino (1976-1977)

"The Fastest Man in Japan" only ever started 2 Formula 1 races, at Fuji in 1976 and 1977. However, even in those he made his mark. Outside of the rarified confines of the Grand Prix bubble, he was utterly formidable, a driver who exercised a measure of dominance over his country's excellent racing structure for more than 3 decades.

His country's 1975 Formula 2000 champion, Hoshino entered the first ever World Championship Japanese Grand Prix in 1976 in a privateer Tyrrell run by Heroes Racing. Qualifying 21st, using his local knowledge and excellent Bridgestone tyres - the company's first ever foray into Grand Prix racing - he drove a magnificent race in the torrential downpour, running as high as 4th before his team literally ran out of usable rubber and he had to retire. Returning in 1977, off the back of his second F2000 success that year, he finished 11th in a year-old Kojima racing car, no mean achievement. However, that year at Fuji an accident between Ronnie Peterson and Gilles Villeneuve accounted for the lives of some spectators and a marshal and the Grand Prix circus would not return to Japan for a decade.

Hoshino went on to win the Japanese Formula 2 championship in 1978, adding 3 more titles in the series (now renamed Formula Nippon) in 1987, 1990 and 1993. By 1993, Hoshino was already 46-years old, not just competing in an arena typically given over to hungry young drivers but also excelling in it. For his 1993 success, he beat future Formula 1 drivers Eddie Irvine, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Roland Ratzenberger and Mika Salo, whilst his 1990 title (aged a mere 43) came at the expense of Ukyo Katayama. Hoshino was also dominant in sportscars, enjoying a spirited rivalry with fellow 1970s F1-refugee Masahiro Hasemi (who set fastest lap in his sole Grand Prix start in 1976) on his way to titles in Japanese Touring Cars (1990) and Japanese Sports Prototypes (1991 and 1992).

A remarkable talent, Hoshino did not retire from racing until 2002. One can only imagine what he might have been able to achieve if he'd been given the same chance to run a full campaign in Formula 1 as Satoru Nakajima was a decade later.