Friday 30 July 2010

GPUpdate

GPUpdate.net Driver Guide 2010

09 March 2010

With the last driver confirmed just eight days before the first practice session of the season in Bahrain, it is finally a 24-car grid which will line up for this year's FIA Formula One World Championship, which promises to be one of the best ever.

With a 19-race schedule equalling the record of 2005, the field increases in size from 10 to 12 teams this year and includes a brilliant mixture of 4 World Champions, 11 race winners, 5 rookie drivers, 2 relatives of past Champions and a total of 12 nationalities, with Russia making its first appearance in the form of Vitaly Petrov.

The season begins in Bahrain for the first time in four years as Malaysia's race start time is brought forward in order to avoid the rain-caused chaos of 2009. Canada makes a welcome return, as does Hockenheim, as Sakhir and Silverstone feature significant circuit modifications and South Korea hosts a Grand Prix for the first time.

The cast of F1 2010 is as follows:

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

Jenson Alexander Lyons Button

Car#: 1
2009: Champion
Age: 30
DOB: Saturday 19 January 1980
Born: Frome, United Kingdom
Active seasons: 2000-present
First GP: Australia 2000
Wins: 7
Points scored: 327
Relationship status: In relationship with Jessica Michibata
Hobbies: Shopping, video games
Star sign: Capricorn

Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton

Car#: 2
2009: 5th
Age: 25
DOB: Monday 7 January 1985
Born: Stevenage, United Kingdom
Active seasons: 2007-present
First GP: Australia 2007
Wins: 11
Points scored: 256
Relationship status: In a relationship with Nicole Scherzinger
Hobbies: Guitar, RC cars, online gaming
Star sign: Capricorn

Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team

Michael Schumacher

Car#: 3
2009: N/A
Age: 41
DOB: Friday 3 January 1969
Born: Hürth-Hermülheim, West Germany
Active seasons: 1991-2006, 2010
First GP: Belgium 1991
Wins: 91
Points scored: 1,369
Relationship status: Married to Corinna
Hobbies: Cycling, football, karting, skiing
Star sign: Capricorn

Nico Rosberg

Car#: 4
2009: 7th
Age: 24
DOB: Thursday 27 June 1985
Born: Weisbaden, West Germany
Active seasons: 2006-present
First GP: Bahrain 2006
Best result: 2nd (x1)
Points scored: 75.5
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Football, snowboarding, jet-skiing
Star sign: Cancer

Red Bull Racing

Sebastian Vettel

Car#: 5
2009: Runner-up
Age: 22
DOB: Friday 3 July 1987
Born: Heppenheim, West Germany
Active seasons: 2007-present
First GP: United States 2007
Wins: 5
Points scored: 125
Relationship status: In a relationship with Hanna Prater
Hobbies: Swimming, fitness, snowboarding
Star sign: Cancer

Mark Alan Webber

Car#: 6
2009: 4th
Age: 33
DOB: Friday 27 August 1976
Born: Queanbeyan, Australia
Active seasons: 2002-present
First GP: Australia 2002
Wins: 2
Points scored: 169.5
Relationship status: In a relationship with Ann Neal
Hobbies: RC planes, PlayStation3, fitness
Star sign: Virgo

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

Felipe Massa

Car#: 7
2009: 11th
Age: 28
DOB: Saturday 25 April 1981
Born: São Paulo, Brazil
Active seasons: 2002, 2004-present
First GP: Australia 2002
Wins: 11
Points scored: 320
Relationship status: Married to Rafaela
Hobbies: Football, cinema
Star sign: Taurus

Fernando Alonso Díaz

Car#: 8
2009: 9th
Age: 28
DOB: Wednesday 29 July 1981
Born: Oviedo, Spain
Active seasons: 2001, 2003-present
First GP: Australia 2001
Wins: 21
Points scored: 577
Relationship status: Married to Raquel
Hobbies: Films, computers, sports
Star sign: Leo

AT&T Williams

Rubens Gonçalves Barrichello

Car#: 9
2009: 3rd
Age: 37
DOB: Tuesday 23 May 1972
Born: São Paulo, Brazil
Active seasons: 1993-present
First GP: South Africa 1993
Wins: 11
Points scored: 607
Relationship status: Married to Silvana
Hobbies: Karting, golf, bowling
Star sign: Gemini

Nicolas Hülkenberg

Car#: 10
2009: N/A
Age: 22
DOB: Wednesday 19 August 1987
Born: Emmerich am Rhein, West Germany)
Active seasons: 2010
First GP: Bahrain 2010
Best result: N/A
Points scored: N/A
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Tennis, socialising
Star sign: Leo

Renault F1 Team

Robert Kubica

Car#: 11
2009: 14th
Age: 25
DOB: Friday 7 December 1984
Born: Kraków, Poland
Active seasons: 2006-present
First GP: Hungary 2006
Wins: 1
Points Scored: 137
Relationship status: In a relationship with Edyta Witas
Hobbies: Karting, bowling, video games
Star sign: Sagittarius

Vitaly Aleksandrovich Petrov

Car#: 12
2009: N/A
Age: 25
DOB: Friday 8 September 1984
Born: Vyborg, Russia
Active seasons: 2010
First GP: Bahrain 2010
Best result: N/A
Points Scored: N/A
Relationship status: Single
Star sign: Virgo

Force India F1 Team

Adrian Sutil

Car#: 14
2009: 17th
Age: 27
DOB: Tuesday 11 January 1983
Born: Stamberg, West Germany
Active seasons: 2007-present
First GP: Australia 2007
Best result: 4th (x1)
Points Scored: 6
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Piano, pool, snooker
Star sign: Capricorn

Vitantonio Liuzzi

Car#: 15
2009: 22nd
Age: 29
DOB: Wednesday 6 August 1980
Born: Locorotondo, Italy
Active seasons: 2005-2007, 2009-present
First GP: San Marino 2005
Best result: 6th (x1)
Points Scored: 5
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Fashion, football, karting, music
Star sign: Leo

Scuderia Toro Rosso

Sébastien Olivier Buemi

Car#: 16
2009: 16th
Age: 21
DOB: Monday 31 October 1988
Born: Aigle, Switzerland
Active seasons: 2009-present
First GP: Australia 2009
Best result: 7th (x2)
Points Scored: 6
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Tennis, golf
Star sign: Scorpio

Jaime Víctor Alguersuari Escudero

Car#: 17
2009: Not classified
Age: 19
DOB: Friday 23 March 1990
Born: Barcelona, Spain
Active seasons: 2009-present
First GP: Hungary 2009
Best result: 14th (x1)
Points Scored: 0
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: DJing, electronic music, karting, films
Star sign: Aries

Lotus F1 Racing

Jarno Trulli

Car#: 18
2009: 8th
Age: 35
DOB: Saturday 13 July 1974
Born: Pescara, Italy
Active seasons: 1997-present
First GP: Australia 1997
Wins: 1
Points Scored: 246.5
Relationship status: Married to Barbara
Hobbies: Karting, music, cinema, computers
Star sign: Cancer

Heikki Johannes Kovalainen

Car#: 19
2009: 12th
Age: 28
DOB: Monday 19 October 1981
Born: Suomussalmi, Finland
Active seasons: 2007-present
First GP: Australia 2007
Wins: 1
Points Scored: 105
Relationship status: In a relationship with Catherine Hyde
Hobbies: Skiing, cycling, golf, video games
Star sign: Libra

HRT F1 Team

Karun Chandhok

Car#: 20
2009: N/A
Age: 26
DOB: Thursday 19 January 1984
Born: Chennai, India
Active seasons: 2010
First GP: Bahrain 2010
Best Result: N/A
Points Scored: N/A
Relationship status: Single
Star sign: Capricorn

Bruno Senna Lalli

Car#: 21
2009: N/A
Age: 26
DOB: Saturday 15 October 1983
Born: São Paulo, Brazil
Active seasons: 2010
First GP: Bahrain 2010
Best Result: N/A
Points Scored: N/A
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Boxing, music, wakeboarding, video games
Star sign: Libra

BMW Sauber F1 Team

Pedro Martínez de la Rosa

Car#: 22
2009: N/A
Age: 39
DOB: Wednesday 24 February 1971
Born: Barcelona, Spain
Active seasons: 1999-2002, 2005-2006
First GP: Australia 1999
Best Result: 2nd (x1)
Points Scored: 29
Relationship status: Married to María
Hobbies: Reading, model helicopters
Star sign: Pisces

Kamui Kobayashi

Car#: 23
2009: 18th
Age: 23
DOB: Saturday 13 September 1986
Born: Amagasaki, Japan
Active seasons: 2009-present
First GP: Brazil 2009
Best Result: 6th (x1)
Points Scored: 3
Relationship status: Single
Hobbies: Holidays, enjoying life
Star sign: Virgo

Virgin Racing

Timo Glock

Car#: 24
2009: 10th
Age: 27
DOB: Thursday 18 March 1982
Born: Lindenfels, Germany
Active seasons: 2004, 2008-present
First GP: Canada 2004
Best result: 2nd (x2)
Points Scored: 51
Relationship status: In a relationship with Isabell Reis
Hobbies: Sport, karting
Star sign: Pisces

Lucas Tucci di Grassi

Car#: 25
2009: N/A
Age: 27
DOB: Saturday 11 August 1984
Born: São Paulo, Brazil
Active seasons: 2010
First GP: Bahrain 2010
Best result: N/A
Points Scored: N/A
Relationship status: Single
Star sign: Leo

Practice 1 for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix will begin at 10am local time on Friday (GMT +3). As with all race weekend sessions, its progress can be followed live on GPUpdate.net

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Photos

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Silver Surfers

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