2010 Formula One Team Logos

Here is another regular start of the season feature – look at all the logos of Formula One teams. Lot’s of changes compared to the year 2009 (see 2009 F1 logos here). Gone are the Toyota and Brawn GP logos. We have four brand new logos instead – Mercedes GP, Virgin, Lotus and Hispania. Then there is the BMW logo missing in BMW Sauber logo following BMWs pull out from F1 as well as the ING brand missing from Renault F1 logo.

The one thing the 2010 and 2009 logo collections seem to have in common is that the last team to make the grid (Brawn GP and Hispania) had the least time to work on their branding or it was very low on their list of priorities (understandably). The result reflects that .

2010 Formula One team logos

There are first few 2010 F1 cars from Minichamps available for pre-order. Among the cars announced are McLarens of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock’s Virgin VR-01, Trulli’s Lotus, Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes and Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel. There is no exact date of release mentioned yet other than it will be year 2010 …

More details at OnPole.com webiste (links below):

1:43 Minichamps McLaren Showcar 2010 Lewis Hamilton

1:43 Minichamps McLaren Showcar 2010 Jenson Button

1:18 Minichamps McLaren Showcar 2010 Jenson Button

1:43 Minichamps Virgin Racing Showcar 2010 Timo Glock

1:43 Minichamps Diecast Lotus F1 Racing Showcar 2010 Jarno Trulli

1:43 Minichamps Red Bull Showcar 2010 Sebastian Vettel

1:43 Minichamps Mercedes GP Showcar 2010 Michael Schumacher

1:18 Minichamps Mercedes GP Showcar 2010 Michael Schumacher

2010 F1 die cast models from Minichamps

Lotus T127 in action in Jerez

The voting in the poll for The Best 2010 F1 Livery has ended. From the beginning it turned into the battle of two new teams. Lotus and Virgin together received almost half of all the votes. It was a tie for quite a while but at the end it was the Lotus T127 with most votes next to its name. BMW Sauber ended up as the least popular livery on the grid. Here is the result of the poll:

Lotus – 131 votes – 24.5%
Virgin Racing – 118 votes – 22.1%
McLaren – 62 votes – 11.6%
Ferrari – 57 votes – 10.7%
Renault – 50 votes – 9.4%
Mercedes GP – 43 votes – 8.1%
Red Bull – 29 votes – 5.4%
Toro Rosso – 17 votes – 3.2%
Williams – 11 votes – 2.1%
Force India – 9 votes – 1.7%
BMW Sauber – 7 votes – 1.3%

You can see all the 2010 liveries and the poll here – Here they come – 2010 F1 Liveries – Poll

Photo: Lotus Racing

The Best 2010 F1 Livery Poll Winner

Eleven out of the thirteen 2010 F1 teams have revealed their liveries already. Here are all of them line up in alphabetical order. We may still see some changes before the season kicks-off in about 1 months time. USF1 and Campos Meta may come up with their cars, some of the teams may add a new sponsor logo here and there, the BMW Sauber racing livery probably will not feature names of both their drivers … What do you think of the 2010 liveries ? Which one is the best ? Scroll down and vote in the 2010 Liveries Poll !

2010 BMW Sauber Livery

2010 Ferrari Livery

2010 Force India Livery

2010 HRT (Hispania) Livery

2010 Lotus Livery

2010 McLaren Livery

2010 Mercedes GP Livery

2010 Red Bull Livery

2010 Renault Livery

2010 Toro Rosso Livery

2010 Virgin Racing Livery

2010 Williams Livery

(If you have difficulties to vote below you can also follow this link and vote – click here)

You can vote until Friday 19 February 2010 noon (GMT).

Here they come – 2010 F1 Liveries – Poll

Red Bull Racing became the latest team to unveil their 2010 car – RB6. Here are the first images released by Red Bull Racing:

Red Bull RB6 Launch

Sebastian Vettel Mark Webber at RB6 launch

Red Bull RB6

Red Bull RB6

Red Bull RB6

Red Bull RB6

Photos: Red Bull Racing, GEPA

2010 F1 Cars – Red Bull RB6 unveiled

The 2010 winter testing returns with the first day of action in Jerez. The seven teams that tested last week in Valencia will be joined by Red Bull (official launch later today), Force India and first of the new teams ready to test – Virgin Racing. The drivers in action today were:

Mercedes GP – Rosberg
Red Bull – Webber
Mclaren – Button
Ferrari – Alonso
BMW Sauber – Kobayashi
Williams – Hulkenberg
Renault – Petrov
Force India – Liuzzi
Toro Rosso – Buemi
Virgin Racing – Glock

Updates and images from the first day of testing in Jerez to follow.

These are the times after half day of running (the times are affected by rain and wet track):
1. Nico Rosberg – Mercedes GP – 1:20.297
2. Sebastien Buemi – Toro Rosso – 1:21.031 +0.734
3. Nico Hulkenberg – Williams – 1:22.043 +1.746
4. Fernando Alonso – Ferrari – 1;22.895 +2.598
5. Kamui Kobayashi – BMW-Sauber – 1:23.287 +2.990
6. Jenson Button – McLaren – 1;24.947 +4.650
7. Vitantonio Liuzzi – Force India – 1:24.968 +4.671
8. Vitaly Petrov – Renault – 1:25.440 +5.143
9. Mark Webber – Red Bull – 1:26.502 +6.205
10. Timo Glock – Virgin Racing – no time yet

and here are the times at the end of the day (thanks to weather the only change was the time posted by Timo Glock):

1. Nico Rosberg – Mercedes GP – 1:20.297 – 57 laps
2. Sebastien Buemi – Toro Rosso – 1:21.031 +0.734 – 84 laps
3. Nico Hulkenberg – Williams – 1:22.043 +1.746 – 118 laps
4. Fernando Alonso – Ferrari – 1;22.895 +2.598 – 88 laps
5. Kamui Kobayashi – BMW-Sauber – 1:23.287 +2.990 – 55 laps
6. Jenson Button – McLaren – 1;24.947 +4.650 – 68 laps
7. Vitantonio Liuzzi – Force India – 1:24.968 +4.671 – 71 laps
8. Vitaly Petrov – Renault – 1:25.440 +5.143 – 27 laps
9. Mark Webber – Red Bull – 1:26.502 +6.205 – 50 laps
10. Timo Glock – Virgin Racing – 1:38.734 +18.437 – 5 laps

2010 Winter Testing – Jerez February 10 – with images

Lotus F1 Racing Website

New F1 teams, new F1 team owners resulted in (among other things) in new online presence. Here is an updated list of Formula One teams websites featuring all the 2010 F1 teams. Former BrawnGP website is now redirected to new Mercedes pages (new site to be launched on 25th January). BMW Sauber F1 (while still keeping the “BMW” as a part of the official team name) have been moved away from the BMW Motorsport site to a new blog like team site. Renault website reflects the departure of their title sponsor ING.

The most flashy website among the newcomers belongs to Virgin Racing. USF1 and Lotus F1 Racing websites have a nice simple blog like feel. Campos Meta online presence however at the moment features only a not so special homepage with links to few files for download.

2010 F1 Team Websites List (with links):

Mercedes GP
Red Bull Racing
McLaren
Ferrari
Williams
BMW Sauber
Renault
Force India
Toro Rosso
Lotus F1 Racing
Campos Meta
Virgin Racing
USF1

Screenshots of new F1 teams websites:

Virgin Racing Website Screen Shot

Lotus F1 Racing Website Screen Shot

USF1 Website Screen Shot

Campos Meta Website Screen Shot

2010 Formula One Team Websites

Renault name will stay in F1

Renault has decided to stay in Formula One and form a strategic partnership with Gerard Lopez’ Genii Capital, a Luxemburg based firm specialized in new technologies, brand management and motor sport. Renault will sell a large stake of the team to Genii and both partners will operate the team together. The letter of intent signed by the two companies should be concluded in early 2010.

The team will retain the Renault name in 2010. The sister company in Viry-Châtillon will supply the engines to the Renault team as well as to Red Bull Racing for the 2010 season.

“I am delighted to welcome Genii Capital as our new strategic partner as I am sure that their enthusiasm and business expertise will create a new dynamic for the team, the staff, and our partners. Altogether, we look forward to competing again at the highest level in Formula One. Today’s announcement also confirms Renault’s commitment and trust in the sport’s governing bodies to improve the green credentials of Formula One.

Indeed, in making such a decision, Renault not only demonstrates its commitment to its fans across the world, its employees in Enstone and in Viry, and the FIA, FOA and FOTA but it also believes in the positive impact of promoting relevant technologies in synergy with its product plan. With the ongoing evolutions of the Formula One regulations, Renault will be able to entertain its fans, while promoting a leaner and sounder Championship. We will show Renault’s skill when it comes to developing high-performance, fuel-efficient cars.” – Bernard Rey, Renault F1 Team President.

The team is yet to announce who will partner Robert Kubica.

Photo: Renault/LAT

Renault stays in F1, confirms partnership with Genii Capital

It will Red Bull backed Citroen rally ride for Raikkonen in 2010

It is official. Kimi Räikkönen will not race in Formula One in 2010 season and will switch to WRC instead. The one year deal that will see Kimi Räikkönen to compete in Red Bull’s colours on 12 of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship’s 13 rounds (the exception being the Rally of New Zealand) was announced earlier today by Citroen.

As a result of the deal between Citroën and Red Bull the team will field 4 cars next season – Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and Dani Sordo/Marc Marti form the “senior” team line up while Kimi Räikkönen/Kaj Lindström and Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia will contest the championship in colours of the Citroën Junior Team.

“I always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship at some point in my career. Thanks to Red Bull, I have the opportunity to drive the best car of the series with the Citroën C4. This is a new but very exciting challenge. For the moment we have a one-year contract and we will see how it goes for the future. I am really looking forward to testing the car and taking the start of the first rally.” – Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi has had personal backing from Red Bull for quite a while already

“Red Bull’s commitment and energy are a perfect fit for Citroën’s ongoing thirst for victory. We will continue to count on Sébastien and Dani to defend our world titles in 2010, and we will also be prolonging our association with Sébastien Ogier who showed outstanding potential this year. Last but not least, it is with immense joy that we welcome Kimi Räikkönen to our ranks. We are very proud that he has chosen Citroën. In addition to the confirmation of these four crews, we will hopefully be able to announce other programmes over the coming weeks.” – Citroën Racing Director, Olivier Quesnel

There are already speculations that this Red Bull backed deal is a prelude for Kimi’s return to F1 racing in Red Bull colours in 2011 season. Obviously neither the team nor Räikkönen would comment on that at this time.

Let’s hope that Kimi’s rallying in 2010 goes better than it did in 2009 when he crashed out of WRC Neste Oil Rally Finland (video).

Photos: Red Bull / GEPA

Kimi gets WRC Red Bull wings for 2010 season

Fourth 1-2 finish of the season for Red Bull courtesy of Vettel and Webber

Sebastian Vettel won the rather dull inaugural Abu Dhabi GP and claimed second place in the drivers championship. One of few exciting parts of this GP was the final laps fight between Webber and Button for 2nd place. Webber prevailed and helped to secured fourth 1-2 finish of the season for Red Bull Racing. Rubens Barrichello finished 4th, Nick Heidfeld 5th in BMW Sauber’s final F1 race. Kamui Kobayashi scored 3 points for 6th place in only his second F1 race. The final 2 point scoring positions belong to Jarno Trulli and Sebastien Buemi.

The pole setter Lewis Hamilton retired after his first pit stop with brake problems. Both McLaren and Ferrari failed to score points, that means that McLaren holds on to 3rd place in constructors table.

The only other retirement of the race was the curious case of Jaime Alguersuari. He mistakenly aimed for Red Bull garage for his first pit stop. The Red Bull crew (expecting Vettel at that time) waived him through. Alguersuari had to go round the track for one more lap. He retired on that lap because of broken gearbox.

2009 Abu Dhabi GP race result

1. S. Vettel – Red Bull – 1:34:03.414
2. M. Webber – Red Bull + 17.857
3. J. Button – Brawn GP + 18.467
4. R. Barrichello – Brawn GP + 22.735
5. N. Heidfeld – BMW Sauber + 26.253
6. K. Kobayashi – Toyota + 28.343
7. J. Trulli – Toyota + 34.366
8. S. Buemi – Toro Rosso + 41.294
9. N. Rosberg – Williams + 45.941
10. R. Kubica – BMW Sauber + 48.180
11. H. Kovalainen – McLaren + 52.798
12. K. Räikkönen – Ferrari + 54.317
13. K. Nakajima – Williams + 1:59.839
14. F. Alonso – Renault + 1:09.687
15. V. Liuzzi – Force India + 1:34.450
16. G. Fisichella – Ferrari + 1 lap
17. R. Grosjean – Renault + 1 lap
18. A. Sutil – Force India + 1 lap

Did not finish

19. L. Hamilton – McLaren + 35 laps
20. J. Alguersuari – Toro Rosso + 37 laps

Fastest lap – Vettel – 1:40.279

The race may have been dull, but at least there are some nice pictures in return for those millions spent building the racing resort. Here are few courtesy of Red Bull:

Sebastian Vettel Abu Dhabi GP

Mark Webber Abu Dhabi

Sebastian Vettel - Abu Dhabi special

Photos: Red Bull/GEPA

2009 Abu Dhabi GP – Race result – Win for Vettel