With no official F1 testing until February, this will be the only on-track F1 action for a while. However, this test is quite important for a variety of young drivers, especially with the current ban on in-season testing, many of whom will likely end up in F1 during their careers. Also, it gives the teams a chance to test some final parts before they move to 2010.
Firstly, the track
And also, more importantly, the driver line-up, and a brief introduction to each driver.
Brawn/Mercedes:Driver 1Name: Mike Conway
Nationality: British
Age: 26
Career Highlights: 2004 British Formula Renault Champion, 2006 British F3 International Series Champion, 2006 Autosport National Driver of the Year, 2008 GP2 Race Winner (Monaco Sprint)
2009: IndyCar Series (17th)
Driver 2Name: Marcus Ericsson
Nationality: Swedish
Age: 19
Career Highlights: 2007 Formula BMW UK Champion, 2007 Swedish Junior Racer of the Year, 2009 Japanese F3 Champion,
2009: Japanese F3 (1st), Macau GP (4th)
McLaren:Driver 1Name: Gary Paffett
Nationality: British
Age: 28
Career Highlights: 1997 Formula Vauxhall Junior Winter Series Winner, 1998 Formula Vauxhall Junior Class B Champion, 1999 Formula Vauxhall Junior Champion, 1999 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, 2000 British F3 National Class Champion, 2002 German F3 Champion, 2005 DTM Champion
2009: DTM (2nd)
Driver 2Name: Oliver Turvey
Nationality: British
Age: 22
Career Highlights: 2006 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year
2009: World Series by Renault (4th)
Red Bull:Driver 1Name: Daniel Ricciardo
Nationality: Australian
Age: 20
Career Highlights: 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 WEC Champion, 2009 British F3 Champion
2009: British F3 (1st), Macau GP (DNF)
Ferrari:Driver 1Name: Jules Bianchi
Nationality: French
Age: 20
Career Highlights: 2007 French Formula Renault 2.0 Champion, 2008 Formula Three Masters Winner, 2009 Formula Three Euroseries Champion
2009: F3 Euroseries (1st), Macau GP (10th)
Driver 2Name: Daniel Zampieri
Nationality: Italian
Age: 19
Career Highlights: 2009 Italian Formula Three Champion
2009: Italian F3 (1st)
Driver 3Name: Marco Zipoli
Nationality: Italian
Age: 19
Career Highlights: 2009 Italian F3 Runner-up
2009: Italian F3 (2nd)
Driver 4Name: Pablo Sánchez López
Nationality: Mexican
Age: 19
Career Highlights: 2009 Italian F3 3rd Place
2009: Italian F3 (3rd)
BMW Sauber:Driver 1Name: Esteban Gutiérrez
Nationality: Mexican
Age: 18
Career Highlights: 2007 Formula BMW USA Rookie of the Year, 2008 Formula BMW Europe Champion
2009: F3 Euroseries (9th)
Driver 2Name: Alexander Rossi
Nationality: American
Age: 18
Career Highlights: 2006 Skip Barber Western Regional Champion, 2008 Formula BMW Americas Champion, 2008 Formula BMW World Final Champion
2009: International Formula Master (4th)
Driver 3Name: Bertrand Baguette
Nationality: Belgian
Age: 23
Career Highlights: 2009 World Series by Renault Champion
2009: World Series by Renault (1st)
Williams:Driver 1Name: Nico Hülkenberg
Nationality: German
Age: 22
Career Highlights: 2005 Formula BMW ADAC Champion, 2006/07 A1GP Champion, 2007 F3 Masters Winner, 2008 Formula Three Euroseries Champion, 2009 GP2 Series Champion
2009: GP2 (1st)
Driver 2Name: Andy Soucek
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 24
Career Highlights: 2005 Spanish F3 Champion, 2009 FIA Formula Two Champion
2009: Formula 2 (1st)
Renault:Driver 1Name: Bertrand Baguette
Nationality: Belgian
Age: 23
Career Highlights: 2009 World Series by Renault Champion
2009: World Series by Renault (1st)
Driver 2Name: Lucas Di Grassi
Nationality: Brazilian
Age: 25
Career Highlights: 2007 GP2 Series Runner-up
2009: GP2 (3rd)
Driver 3Name: Ho-Pin Tung
Nationality: Chinese
Age: 26
Career Highlights: 2003 Formula BMW Asia Champion, 2006 ATS Formel 3 Cup Champion
2009: SuperLeague Formula* (1 win, 2 podiums)
*Drove for two teams, and as points are given to teams, not drivers, had no final placing
Force India:Driver 1Name: Paul di Resta
Nationality: British
Age: 23
Career Highlights: 2004 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, 2006 Formula Three Euroseries Champion, 2006 Formula Three Masters Winner
2009: DTM (3rd)
Driver 2Name: J. R. Hildebrand
Nationality: American
Age: 21
Career Highlights: 2004 SCCA Formula Russell Champion, 2005 Team USA Scholarship, 2006 US Formula Ford 2000 Champion, 2009 Firestone Indy Lights Champion
2009: Firestone Indy Lights (1st)
Toro Rosso:Driver 1Name: Brendon Hartley
Nationality: New Zealander
Age: 20
Career Highlights: 2007 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Champion
2009: Formula 1 (Reserve Driver), F3 Euroseries (11th), Macau GP (DNF)
Driver 2Name: Mirko Bortolotti
Nationality: Italian
Age: 19
Career Highlights: 2008 Italian Formula Three Champion
2009: Formula 2 (4th)
Quite a lot of talented young drivers have been given a chance, so it will be interesting to see how they go, especially as there are still a few F1 race drives left for the taking. Williams are particularly lucky, as they are able to use their 2010 driver.
X (@ed24f1)Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2009 05:33PM by SchueyFan.