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[headless]

I like how everyone still puts Ferrari and McLaren up the top even after Brawn and Redbull are going to be 1-2 3-4 next season

Can't change habits of lifetimes.

[Cubejam]

Toyota have made noises about moving to another race series, possibly sportscars. I can see Kobayashi getting dragged into whatever Toyota end up doing.

I can't see that happening. F1 or nothing for Kobayashi really. He hasn't got the funds to race in GP2 any more & will be working in a sushi restaurant unless he gets an f1 drive.

[scotty]

Lotus wants experienced drivers

By Jonathan Noble Thursday, November 5th 2009, 13:41 GMT

Lotus hopes to finalise its driver line-up by the end of this month, with technical chief Mike Gascoyne admitting that it wants two experienced men on board next year.

With Jarno Trulli now a favourite to land one of the seats there in 2010, following Toyota's withdrawal from Formula 1, Gascoyne has said he is not considering a youngster or a pay driver.

"We are looking for two drivers with experience," he told AUTOSPORT. "We are not looking for pay drivers or new drivers. We think that is very important for the team.

"What is becoming clear to every one of the new teams is that we have gone from last to first of the new teams very rapidly. We are being seen as a serious entity. We have got quite a lot of interest, but we want two experienced drivers there."

When asked about Trulli being top of his list, Gascoyne said: "He is one of the guys we would like to have. Jarno has, over one lap, always been sensational. That is even more important in a new team because you need to know where you are on a Saturday. Jarno can always give you that."

Gascoyne, who also held talks with Jacques Villeneuve and Christian Klien in Abu Dhabi last weekend, says a decision will be made soon.

"We hope by the end of November," he said. "We don't want to be hanging around, we want to be proactive in what we are doing, rather than reactive. That is something we want to tie up pretty soon."

Gascoyne says that the design of the 2010 car is on schedule, with a first shakedown scheduled for February.

When asked if he felt his early ambition to be best of the new teams was still on track, he said: "I think that is not our target any more.

"That is a given, and now we are aiming at the bottom of the established teams. We want to be as close as possible to them," he added.

[vaptin]

wait twtf is their new target? To be behind the established teams ok, then what about the rest of the new teams?

[Gilles 27]

Updated again

1. Ferrari - Massa + Alonso
2. McLaren - Raikkonen + Hamilton
3. Renault - Kubica + Glock
4. Brawn - Rosberg + Button
5. Red Bull - Webber + Vettel
6. Toyota - not competing
7. Williams - Barrichello + Hulkenberg
8. Lotus - Trulli + Klien
9. Sauber - Heidfeld + Kovalainen
10. Manor - Carrol + some random pay driver
11. USGP - not competing
12. Campos - De la Rosa + Senna
13. Force India - Sutil + Liuzzi
14. Toro Rosso - Algesuari + Buemi

[7UpJordan]

Updated again

1. Ferrari - Massa + Alonso
2. McLaren - Raikkonen + Hamilton
3. Renault - Kubica + Glock
4. Brawn - Rosberg + Button
5. Red Bull - Webber + Vettel
6. Toyota - not competing
7. Williams - Barrichello + Hulkenberg
8. Lotus - Trulli + Klien
9. Sauber - Heidfeld + Kovalainen
10. Manor - Carrol + some random pay driver
11. USGP - not competing
12. Campos - De la Rosa + Senna
13. Force India - Sutil + Liuzzi
14. Toro Rosso - Algesuari + Buemi

Looks like your prediction of Toyota not competing came true. But USF1 not competing seems quite a wild guess there...

[Gilles 27]

I'm uncomfortable about the USGP entry as it was made before any cost-cutting really got going. It seemed unlikely at the time. I don't see them being able to run effectively from the US, they haven't got any drivers on their books as of yet and if the going gets tough (which you have to say it might well do) they aren't a race team, they are starting from scratch so it wouldn't be such a stretch to see them canning it early on.

[Frosty]

Brawn - 1 Button + 2 Rosberg
Red Bull - 3 Vettel + 4 Webber
McLaren - 5 Hamilton + 6 Raikkonen
Ferrari - 7 Massa + 8 Alonso
Williams - 9 Barrichello + 10 Hulkenberg
Renault - 11 Kubica + 12 Glock
Force India - 14 Sutil + 15 Kobayashi
Toro Rosso - 16 Buemi + 17 Algesuari
USF1 - 18 Wurz + 19 Bourdais
Campos - 20 Senna + 21 De la Rosa
Virgin F1 - 22 Grosjean + 23 Davidson
Lotus - 24 Trulli + 25 Klien
Sauber - 26 Heidfeld + 27 Kovalainen

[Big Azza]

Klien at Lotus? I think Heikki.

[Hansy]

please spare Sauber of getting Kova.

[texasmr2]

please spare Sauber of getting Kova.

Daym it seem's he cannot get a break even as the #2 driver at Sauber .

[darwin dali]

I'm uncomfortable about the USGP entry as it was made before any cost-cutting really got going. It seemed unlikely at the time. I don't see them being able to run effectively from the US, they haven't got any drivers on their books as of yet and if the going gets tough (which you have to say it might well do) they aren't a race team, they are starting from scratch so it wouldn't be such a stretch to see them canning it early on.

They also have a European base in northern Spain...

[bud]

dunno Gilles I think USF1 is one of the credible entries! They are just about to open the Euro HQ. In Spain

dd beat me

[texasmr2]

I'm uncomfortable about the USGP entry as it was made before any cost-cutting really got going.

What part of that makes you uncomfortable? They must still adhere to the current rules, oh nevermind I just realized your apprehension is perhap's based on fear???

It seemed unlikely at the time.

Have you learned nothing in that what is percieved as unlikely concerning F1 is the most likely to happen??

I don't see them being able to run effectively from the US,

Are you saying that the team could not possibly be run successfully from the US??? The misguided perception is that a certain island holds and bestows all that is worthy and true of F1??

Please refer to DD's reply.

they haven't got any drivers on their books as of yet.

How do you know they do not???

and if the going gets tough (which you have to say it might well do) they aren't a race team.

What makes them a 'non-race team' ??

they are starting from scratch so it wouldn't be such a stretch to see them canning it early on.

Seem's to me you have already made your decision concerning the team and any future they may have, your crystal ball must be at it's melting point !!

I have just been enlightened beyond a culpable state to persue a very worthy cause for various reason's, thank you gilles27 .

[Big Azza]

I don't like them because they're American.

I just don't think that USF1 does any good for the sport. We have a US team in A1. Formula One is like the Champion's League, not the World Cup. It's about teams v. teams not country against country.

I could see it now:

Team McLaren England - Hamilton and Button.

Team Brazil: Massa and Barichello.

Torro Brazillio: Senna and Piquet.

Team Ice Men: Raikkonen and Kobaleinen.

Team Spain: Alonso and Algie.

I could keep going...