xpb Formula 1 entry list 2011
11/30/2010
E half a month after the season finale is the picture for the coming Formula 1 year not yet clear. Many teams are still negotiating with drivers for 2011. And so it is no wonder that there are still many gaps in the official FIA entry list.
Names of the Toro Rosso drivers are missing
Renault and Williams are each missing a name from the list. Hispania, Force India and Virgin still have no names to read. Timo Glock fans shouldn't worry. The German says he has a valid contract for 2011. However, the team has not yet confirmed his line-up.
More surprising is the missing entry at Toro Rosso. As early as the middle of the season, the small team from Faenza announced that Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari would also be in the cockpit for the coming season. Only last week the duo was confirmed again together with test and substitute driver Daniel Ricciardo.
Lotus with Kovalainen and Trulli?
While at Toro Rosso Despite the complete line-up, the FIA has listed Jarno Trulli and Hekki Kovalainen as a driver duo for the coming season at Lotus. We haven't heard anything from the team yet. There was hardly any doubt about the extension with Kovalainen. However, Trulli was considered a shaky candidate.
The name of the team is also a bit surprising. The team will start in 2010 as 'Team Lotus'. Recently there had been disputes over the rights to the known name. A judge's verdict has so far been missing. Actually, it was assumed that team boss Tony Fernandes will part with the name Lotus under pressure from the Malaysian government. The FIA entry list reads differently, however.
Sauber Team finally without BMW
The Sauber racing team, on the other hand, has separated from the addition of 'BMW' as planned. Last season, the long-standing independent team still had to register with the unpopular addition in order not to lose important bonus funds. In 2011 the Swiss will officially start as the 'Sauber F1 Team'.
As expected, Virgin has also been renamed. The Russian sports car manufacturer Marussia is joining as the new title sponsor. As already announced in Abu Dhabi, the team will compete under the new name Marussia Virgin Racing in 2011.
Schumacher again with a lower starting number
In the awardthe start numbers, however, had a few minor surprises. As in the previous year, Nico Rosberg has voluntarily given the lower starting number (7) to team mate Michael Schumacher. As is well known, the record champion prefers to drive with an odd number on the car. Lewis Hamilton would also have conceded the lower number (3) from his score in the 2010 season. But also at McLaren the smaller number went to the older driver Jenson Button.
At Ferrari, Fernando Alonso leaves no doubt about who is number one in the team. In contrast to the 2010 season, he will receive the lower starting number (5) in the coming year. Felipe Massa has to be satisfied with the 'six'. Of course, number one goes to the world champion. It sticks for the first time in 2011 on Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull.
