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 60th FIA 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 with Formula One Management (reduced from eight following Super Aguri's pull out of the 2008 season), while the other three major manufacturers in the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the 2006 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
* Williams

GPMA Manufacturers

The Grand Prix Manufacturers Association signed an agreement with Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management to end their threat of a breakaway series.

* BMW Sauber
* Honda
* McLaren-Mercedes

Teams and drivers

chedule

Confirmed Calendar changes

* On February 3, 2007, it was announced that a new race in Abu Dhabi known as the Abu 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 the Yas Island Circuit which is currently being built on Yas Island by the construction company Aldar. On April 10, 2008, the organisers were told that the Grand Prix would take place in October 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 the Fuji Speedway, the Suzuka Circuit will return to host the Japanese Grand Prix in 2009. The race will then alternate between the two circuits.
* After the 2006 United States Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone and Ron Dennis announced the possibility of a new Grand Prix in South Korea entering in 2009. It has now been revealed though that the Korean Grand Prix will take place from F1|2010 at the soon-to-be built Korean International Circuit. In addition to this, India has been confirmed on the Grand Prix calendar in 2010 with the Indian Grand Prix taking place in Delhi.
* On 12 May 2008 Bernie Ecclestone confirmed the 2008 French Grand Prix as the last race to be held at Magny Cours and as a result the French 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] .
* On 28 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] .
* On October 7, 2008, the FIA formalized the 2009 season calendar with the dropping of the Canadian Grand Prix (for financial problems) and the Turkish Grand Prix moved to June 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 the Nürburgring that was not named the European Grand Prix were held in 1997 in 1998, under the name Luxembourg Grand Prix. However, while currently the name "European Grand Prix" is reserved for the Valencia Street CircuitFact|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 3 July 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 the Red 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 17 July 2008, Red Bull Racing announced that Sebastian 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 a regenerative brake device that is designed to recover some of the vehicle's kinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking. The recovered energy could be stored electrically, in a battery or supercapacitor, or mechanically, in a flywheel, for use as a source of additional accelerative power at the driver's discretion.
* After being banned since 1998, slick tyres will be provided by Bridgestone 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]
* In Spain, Telecinco loses the F1 coverage rights in favor of Mediapro, major shareholder of LaSexta. [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]
* In Bulgaria, 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, including India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and South 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 in Indonesia 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 and Nick 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 to Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica during the 2008 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]