- 2009 Formula One season
:"F1 2009" and "Formula One 2009" redirect here. For the video game, see
Formula One 2009 (video game) ."The 2009 Formula One season will be the 60thFIA Formula One World Championship season. As it stands, there are a total of seven teams signed up to compete in the championship through an agreement withFormula One Management (reduced from eight following Super Aguri's pull out of the 2008 season), while the other three major manufacturers in theGrand Prix Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) have signed amemorandum of understanding (MoU) at the2006 Spanish Grand Prix to compete in the 2009 season. [cite news|url=http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=118757|title=Ecclestone signature ends breakaway threat|publisher=GPUpdate.net|date=2006-05-20|accessdate=2006-10-09] There is also still a chance that Prodrive could debut in the 2009 season, given that no definitive statement has been made indefinitely abandoning the prospective team's F1 aspirations. However, given that customer cars - the basis of Prodrive's plans - will no longer be allowed in F1 from 2009, and further given that Prodrive is no longer guaranteed to be accepted on the 2009 grid after failing to meet their 2008 obligations, this must be seen as a very remote possibility.Teams
Teams Signed with FOM
The following teams are signed with
Formula One Management to compete in the 2009 season.
* Ferrari
* Red Bull
* Renault
* Force India
* Toro Rosso
* Toyota
* WilliamsGPMA Manufacturers
The
Grand Prix Manufacturers Association signed an agreement withBernie Ecclestone andFormula One Management to end their threat of a breakaway series.*
BMW Sauber
* Honda
*McLaren -MercedesTeams and drivers
chedule
Confirmed Calendar changes
* On
February 3 ,2007 , it was announced that a new race inAbu Dhabi known as theAbu Dhabi Grand Prix will be added to the 2009 calendar as part of Formula One's expansion in the Middle East. [cite news | first = | last = | author = | coauthors =| url = http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/2/5604.html | title =Abu Dhabi gets Grand Prix for 2009 | work = | publisher =F1.com | pages = | page = | date =2007-02-03 | accessdate =2007-02-03 | language = ] The race will take place at theYas Island Circuit which is currently being built onYas Island by the construction company Aldar. OnApril 10 ,2008 , the organisers were told that the Grand Prix would take place inOctober 2009 [cite news|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66508 |title=Abu Dhabi GP set for October date |publisher=autosport.com |date=2008-04-10 |accessdate=2008-04-10] , but it was later confirmed on the provisional FIA calendar that this is not the case.
* After being dropped in F1|2007 to theFuji Speedway , theSuzuka Circuit will return to host theJapanese Grand Prix in 2009. The race will then alternate between the two circuits.
* After the2006 United States Grand Prix ,Bernie Ecclestone andRon Dennis announced the possibility of a new Grand Prix inSouth Korea entering in 2009. It has now been revealed though that theKorean Grand Prix will take place from F1|2010 at the soon-to-be builtKorean International Circuit . In addition to this,India has been confirmed on the Grand Prix calendar in 2010 with theIndian Grand Prix taking place inDelhi .
* On12 May 2008 Bernie Ecclestone confirmed the2008 French Grand Prix as the last race to be held atMagny Cours and as a result theFrench Grand Prix may be dropped from the 2009 Formula One season and possibly return at a location in Paris in 2010. After the race, however, he said that it would stay on the calendar, as they had a contract until 2011 [cite news|title=Magny-Cours to stay on calendar|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7467887.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22/06/2008] .
* On28 September 2008 Malaysia's Sepang circuit boss Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir has told the local newspaper The Star that Malaysia's F1 contract has been altered simply to accommodate a delayed race start, rather than conversion into a night race [cite news|url=http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080928101301.shtml |title=No Malaysian night race |publisher=f1-live.com |date=2008-09-28 |accessdate=2008-09-29] .
* OnOctober 7 ,2008 , theFIA formalized the 2009 season calendar with the dropping of theCanadian Grand Prix (for financial problems) and theTurkish Grand Prix moved toJune 7 ,2009 [cite news | first = | last = | author = | coauthors =| url = http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/10/8483.html | title =FIA issue revised 2009 Formula One calendar | work = | publisher =F1.com | pages = | page = | date =2008-10-08 | accessdate =2008-10-08 | language = ] . This will be the first year since 1958 there will be no Formula One Grand Prix in North America. citeweb | url = http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=36197 | title = Canadian GP organisers surprised by FIA decision | publisher = PitPass.com | date = 2008-10-08 | accessdate = 2008-10-11]2009 race schedule
The calendar as published by the
FIA on 07th October 2008 [cite web|url=http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/wmsc08/Pages/wmsc_071008.aspx |title=2009 FIA F1 Provisional Calendar| publisher=FIA |date=2008-06-25 |accessdate=2008-06-25]† As was the practice in 2007, if an agreement cannot be reached over the naming rights, then this Grand Prix will likely be named something other than the "German Grand Prix" - as the
Hockenheimring currently holds all naming rights for the "German Grand Prix". The last Grand Prix to be held at theNürburgring that was not named theEuropean Grand Prix were held in 1997 in 1998, under the nameLuxembourg Grand Prix . However, while currently the name "European Grand Prix" is reserved for theValencia Street Circuit Fact|date=August 2008 this could be changed to the "Mediterranean Grand Prix" [cite web|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/70091| title=Valencia GP set for name change| publisher=Autosport] .Changes
Driver changes
*
David Coulthard :Red Bull Racing → retirement
*Sebastian Vettel :Scuderia Toro Rosso →Red Bull Racing More Information
* On 3July 2008 ,David Coulthard confirmed that 2008 would be his final year of Formula One racing. He will stay on as a consultant and a development driver to theRed Bull Racing squad next season. [cite news|title=Coulthard confirms retirement decision|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=43194|publisher=ITV-F1|date=03/07/2008]
* On 17July 2008 ,Red Bull Racing announced thatSebastian Vettel would replace the outgoing David Coulthard in 2009. [cite news|title=RBR signs Vettel for 2009|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/news_article.aspx?id=43359|publisher=ITV-F1|date=17/07/2008]Rule changes
On
22 December 2006 , the FIA released the technical regulations for the 2009 season [Citation|title=FIA Formula One 2009 Technical Regulations|date=11/07/2008|url=http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/90D889BE20961303C1257483004B8AC0/$FILE/1-2009%20F1%20TECHNICAL%20REGULATIONS%2011-07-2008.pdf] .
* Along with changes to bodywork, vehicle weight and tyre size, the document includes details of a "Kinetic Energy Recovery System", or [http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/f1/182014/f1-kers-flybrid.html KERS] . This is aregenerative brake device that is designed to recover some of the vehicle'skinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking. The recovered energy could be stored electrically, in a battery orsupercapacitor , or mechanically, in aflywheel , for use as a source of additional accelerative power at the driver's discretion.
* After being banned since 1998, slick tyres will be provided byBridgestone in 2009. [cite news|title=Bridgestone eyeing slick warm-up cure|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66122|publisher=autosport.com|date=2008-03-27|accessdate=2008-03-27]
* There will also be a cap on team budgets starting in the 2009 season. [cite news|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=41635&PO=41635|title=2009 Budget Cap|publisher=ITV-F1|date=2008-01-19|accessdate=2008-01-19]
* Section 3.18 of the regulations contains details of "driver adjustable bodywork". The angle of incidence of elements in a defined area forward of the front wheels can be varied by up to 6 degrees and adjusted by direct driver input. A maximum of 2 adjustments can be made on any lap.Broadcasting changes
* The BBC regain coverage of Formula One in the
United Kingdom after losing it to ITV in 1996. The deal will last for 5 years and includes TV, radio and online coverage rights. [cite news|title=The BBC wins rights to UK Formula One coverage|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/3/7516.html|publisher= formula1.com|date=2008-03-20|accessdate=2008-03-20]
* InSpain ,Telecinco loses the F1 coverage rights in favor ofMediapro , major shareholder ofLaSexta . [cite news|title=MEDIAPRO WINS F1 TV RIGHTS IN SPAIN|url=http://www.sportbusiness.com/news/161845/mediapro-wins-f1-tv-rights-in-spain|publisher=SportBusiness.com|date=16/05/2007]
* InBulgaria , TV7 have acquired the coverage rights for the 2009, f1|2010 and f1|2011 seasons from bTV. [cite news|title=tv7 взе формула 1 (in Bulgarian)|url=http://www.telemaniac.com/tv7-formula1-1205|publisher=telemaniac.com|date=12/05/2007]
*ESPN Star Sports has agreed a new 5-year deal for the exclusive rights to broadcast Formula One in 24 Asian countries, includingIndia ,Hong Kong ,Singapore ,Malaysia andSouth Korea . [cite news|title=ESPN Star Sports agrees new 5-year deal|url=http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=35799|publisher=pitpass.com|date=03/09/2008]
* GlobalTV will be official broadcasters inIndonesia through f1|2011Fact|date=October 2008.Rumours
Rumoured regulation changes
* The closing of the pit lane when a safety car is deployed may be abolished by the start of the 2009 season. During 2008,
Rubens Barrichello andNick Heidfeld have both been forced to pit when their cars were low on fuel and received penalties for refueling when the pit lane was closed. [cite news|title=Heidfeld hits out at 'stupid' SC pit rules|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=42470|publisher=ITV-F1.com|date=29/04/2008] This happened again toNico Rosberg andRobert Kubica during the2008 Singapore Grand Prix , for which they were punished with 10 second stop/go penalties.References
External links
* [http://www.formula1.com Official Formula One website]
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