2010 FIA F1 World Championship Calendar
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- 2010 Forumla 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
- 12-14 Mar
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The track’s desert location gives it a unique atmosphere, but the late night revellers among you needn’t worry: the bright lights of Manama, the Kingdom’s capital city, are only 30 minutes away by car.
The circuit is popular with the drivers, who have become accustomed to its acres of run-off and dusty asphalt, and they welcome the layout changes for 2010 that have increased its length by 0.551 miles. “I enjoy the track,” says Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Jenson Button. “It’s quite technical and there are some fast changes of direction, which are challenging. It will be fun to explore the new section after Turn 4 this year, but I’m sure it won’t present any problems.”
The unrelenting sunshine of the Middle East drives most spectators into one of the covered grandstands on the start-finish straight, but those who can face the heat should head to Turn 18 – a technical downhill left-hander – to see whose cars are handling well. Those that are usually end up on the podium.
Button owns a house in Bahrain, but most of the other drivers and team bosses stay at the five-star Ritz Carlton Resort, on the banks of the Manama Bay. If you’re put off by the £270 per night price tag, why not stay for a drink, or until you’ve got an autograph or two, and then head to a cheaper hotel?
- Number of Laps:
49 - Circuit Length:
6.299 km - Race Distance:
308.405 km - Lap Record:
1:30.252 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix
- 26-28 Mar
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“Melbourne’s a great place for the race,” according to local billboards. And they’re not wrong: the city’s cosmopolitan outlook and coastal location make the Australian GP one of the most popular of the year.
Albert Park provides a picturesque setting for the racetrack, both in terms of its lush spectator areas and its proximity to the street cafes and restaurants of nearby St Kilda. It’s a user-friendly circuit, with many bridges over the track and the lake, and there are regular trams connecting it to the centre of the city.
The circuit isn’t the most challenging of the year for the drivers, but it usually generates good racing. The late kick-off (5pm) will create some visibility problems as the sun drops and the shadows lengthen, but the drivers coped with similar issues last year.
Away from the racetrack, the bulk of the F1TM teams stay at the plush Crown Towers Hotel on the south bank of the Yarra River. It’s expensive (what do you expect?), so why not try one the boutique hotels in St Kilda, close to Port Phillip Bay? There’s a host of good restaurants on Fitzroy Street and The Esplanade, including the celebrated Stoke House, where Jenson Button was spotted relaxing with a beer after his victory last season.
- Number of Laps:
58 - Circuit Length:
5.303 km - Race Distance:
307.574 km - Lap Record:
1:24.125 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix
- 02-04 Apr
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A very demanding race for the drivers and the cars. Cockpit temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees, and humidity levels of 75 percent make it physically gruelling for the drivers. “It’s like doing a workout in a sauna, while wearing your helmet and overalls,” says David Coulthard, who finished on the podium twice at Sepang.
For the cars, there’s nowhere to hide. The track’s long corners, some of which are very quick, are a true test of aerodynamic performance; unsurprisingly, a bad car has never won the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The circuit is 35 miles from the centre of Kuala Lumpur, which is a vibrant and increasingly cosmopolitan city. It hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1998, since when F1TM has headed its list of annual international sporting events. It has the perfect infrastructure for the race too: there’s a direct train from the heart of the city to KL International Airport, which is just a short taxi ride from the track. And if you take the train, you could bump into one of the drivers. They all stay at the Pan Pacific Hotel, which is just by the train station.
- Number of Laps:
56 - Circuit Length:
5.543 km - Race Distance:
310.408 km - Lap Record:
1:34.223 - JP Montoya (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix
- 16-18 Apr
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The Chinese Grand Prix presents ‘corporate F1TM’ with huge opportunities because the People’s Republic is already the number three economy in the world and it’s expected to surpass the USA’s lead by 2030. But while big business is being done in the team cabins in the paddock, the empty seats in the grandstands prove that the cost of F1 remains beyond the pockets of most Chinese.
The track is popular with the drivers – “it’s interesting and quite technical,” says Sauber’s Pedro de la Rosa – and the long back straight creates a good overtaking opportunity into the hairpin at Turn 14. The best corner on the lap, however, is the ever-tightening Turn 1; the cars are flat out in seventh gear when they turn in, but exit the corner in second gear.
The track is 30 miles outside Shanghai, but the dense rush hour traffic can mean the journey takes anything up to two hours. A new subway line is promised to connect the circuit with the city centre this year.
Most F1TM folk choose to stay in this enthralling city, in which there are many good restaurants. A favourite among the F1 glitterati is ‘M on the Bund’, on the bank of the Huangpu River, but there are hundreds of others that are equally as good – and cheaper.
If you’re going to the race, remember that it’s not possible for non-Chinese citizens to hire a car. Take plenty of local currency (yuan) with you because you’re going to spend a bundle on taxis over the race weekend.
- Number of Laps:
56 - Circuit Length:
5.451 km - Race Distance:
305.066 km - Lap Record:
1:32.238 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Gran Premio De Espana Telefonica 2010
- 07-09 May
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The first European round of the championship is the race at which most teams introduce their first aerodynamic upgrades of the year. That makes this race an intriguing one in terms of car performance, and it gives us a good indication of the pecking order for the remainder of the season.
The Spanish fans care about only one person: Fernando Alonso. Compatriots Pedro de la Rosa and Jaime Alguersuari will get a look in this year, but only a small one. Alonso in a Santander-sponsored Ferrari is the driver-car combination that the grandstands will be rooting for.
Barcelona provides a fantastic backdrop to the race. The old town, the Olympic Port and the mountains are all worth a visit, and the diehard fans among you might want to retrace the route of the Montjuich Park circuit, which last hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in 1975.
“Barcelona’s a fantastic place,” says local boy Pedro de la Rosa. “There’s a lot to do and see, and there’s lots of different cuisine to enjoy. If you’re going out, remember that the Spanish like to eat late!”
- Number of Laps:
66 - Circuit Length:
4.655 km - Race Distance:
307.104 km - Lap Record:
1:21.670 - K Raikkonen (2008)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2010
- 13-16 May
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The jewel in the crown of Formula 1TM. Nowhere else on the calendar better encapsulates everything that’s great about the sport: the track is brutally challenging for the drivers and the Principality provides the glamour that is the sport’s lifeblood.
The race is older than the Formula OneTM World Championship itself and there’s something incongruous, yet addictive, about watching F1 cars dart between the barriers with such daring. The race’s significance was perhaps summed up best by Jenson Button after last year’s race, when he shouted “Monaco baby, yeah!” over the pits-to-car radio while returning to the pits after taking the chequered flag.
The Monaco harbour is where the mega-rich like to be seen during the day aboard their mega-yachts, and the venue then changes at night to the Casino, outside which they park their sportscars. Us normal folk only get to stare at these people from the jetties and the pavements, but we all get to enjoy the south of France in early summer, with its brilliant sunshine and rich colours, and that helps to make this race so special.
You can save on hotel bills by staying in Nice, but taxis are expensive; better to take the train or bus instead.
- Number of Laps:
78 - Circuit Length:
3.340 km - Race Distance:
260.520 km - Lap Record:
1:14.439 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix
- 28-30 May
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One of only three left-landed tracks on the 2010 calendar (the others being Singapore and Interlagos), which makes it tough on the drivers’ necks because they’re more accustomed to cornering in a clockwise direction. Former driver David Coulthard calls Istanbul Park a “modern day classic”, and the quadruple-apex left-hander at Turn 8 is certainly one of the great corners in the world. The minimum apex speed is 160mph and the drivers pull in excess of 5g for more than five seconds from entry to exit.
The delights of Istanbul are only a short distance from the circuit, but it can take a long time to reach them because they are on the other side – the European side – of the Bosphorus, which is the waterway that separates Europe and Asia. The toll booths for the Bridge create long queues at rush hour, which can be demoralising if you’ve got a table booked at one of the city’s many fabulous restaurants. But be patient: the food is invariably worth the wait. While out and about, look out for Vijay Mallya’s floating palace, the Indian Empress, which he moors on the Bosphorus every year.
If history isn’t your thing, look to stay in Fenerbahce or Suadiye, on the Asian side. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants, plus the designer shops that keep the footballers’ wives busy. You can take the coast road to the circuit and miss the queue for the bridges.
- Number of Laps:
58 - Circuit Length:
5.338 km - Race Distance:
309.396 km - Lap Record:
1:24.770 - JP Montoya (2005)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada 2010
- 11-13 Jun
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Montreal returns to the calendar after a sabbatical, which is great news for the sport. Not only does the race give F1TM a foothold in North America, it gives everyone at the race a weekend of partying. Montreal might be Canada’s second largest city, but it still grinds to a halt over the grand prix weekend. Large swathes of the city are closed for street parties and Jacques Villeneuve’s club, Newtown, is usually packed to the rafters.
The track is on the Île Notre Dame in the middle of the St Lawrence River. It’s the first low downforce circuit of the year, which makes it an interesting technical challenge for the teams. The combination of long straights, chicanes and hairpins places a lot of strain on the cars’ brakes, and wear rates will be particularly high this year owing to the ban on race refuelling.
The circuit is one of the old school tracks on the calendar, which makes it fantastic for spectators. The grandstands are all close to the action, and a race rarely passes without an incident of some kind. Remember Jacques Villeneuve throwing away a potential win in 1997?
Perhaps that’s why French Canadians flock to the race in their thousands. And, being a well organised race, you don’t notice the crowds because most people travel to the track on the Metro. It makes for one of the most pain-free race weekends of the year.
- Number of Laps:
70 - Circuit Length:
4.361 km - Race Distance:
305.270 km - Lap Record:
1:13.622 - R Barrichello (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Telefonica Grand Prix Of Europe
- 25-27 Jun
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The drivers are kept very busy on the Valencia Street Track because it has 25 corners, which is more than any other circuit, and the concrete walls are never far away. Yet the average speed is 20mph more than at Monaco, which makes this race an intense psychological battle for the throttle jockeys.
The track runs around the edge of the city’s recently revamped marina. The F1TM motorhomes nestle among the hangars that house the America’s Cup yachts, and so strong is the sailing theme in and around the paddock that it’s been disappointing not to see the boats up close at either of the two races to date. Maybe this year.
As a place to visit, Valencia is being increasingly talked about as a holiday destination. The historic Old Town is vibrant and fun, and, of course, there is the Mediterranean coast on which to while away the hours that the cars aren’t on track. The Calle de Pavia, which lies just north of the circuit, has a wide selection of restaurants and is a regular haunt of the F1TM fraternity.
- Number of Laps:
57 - Circuit Length:
5.419 km - Race Distance:
308.883 km - Lap Record:
1:38.683 - T Glock (2009)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix
- 9-11 Jul
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The UK – and Silverstone in particular – has inextricable links with Formula One. The track hosted the first ever World Championship grand prix in May 1950; eight of the 13 teams in 2010 are based within an 80-mile radius of the track, and London is the home of the sport’s commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone.
Silverstone is situated on top of a hill and it started its love affair with the internal combustion engine during World War II, when it was home to a bomber squadron. The airfield’s perimeter roads then hosted the first British GP in 1948 and since ’50 the race has been a part of the World Championship. The track has always been extremely fast; despite being made safer over the years, it has retained its high-speed character to this day.
“The first half of the lap is fantastic,” says Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. “Copse and Becketts are so fast and you have to be very precise if you want to be quick. But the whole track has a nice rhythm.”
The race has been the scene of some memorable scraps over the years. Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt enjoyed a fantastic battle for the lead in 1969, which Stewart eventually won, and who can forget Nigel Mansell’s last gasp victory in 1987, after he’d hounded down team-mate Nelson Piquet? Mansell Mania, as it was dubbed by the tabloid press, reached its peak in ’92 when the crowd stormed onto the track after Nigel’s third and final victory at Silverstone and he gave the stricken Ayrton Senna a lift back to the pits.
In 2010 the Santander British GP will run on the new and slightly longer ‘Arena’ layout, which misses out Bridge corner and takes the cars along the National circuit’s back straight towards the pitlane. The drivers are unlikely to mind what the organisers do, as long as Copse and Becketts remain the same.
- Number of Laps:
60 - Circuit Length:
5.141 km - Race Distance:
308.355 km - Lap Record:
1:18.739 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Grosser Preis Santander Von Deutschland 2010
- 23-25 Jul
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Like Britain, Germany has a long and distinguished history in Formula 1TM. First came the all-conquering Mercedes grand prix cars of the mid-’50s; then there were the awesome Brabham-BMWs of the early ’80s; and, more recently, the dominance of Michael Schumacher.
Until Hockenheim was granted the grand prix, it hosted many different races up to and including International Formula 2. The track’s inclusion on the F1 calendar was welcomed by the drivers because it was different. Its long straights and chicanes made it fast and furious, and the cars were exciting to drive because they ran minimum downforce levels in order to maximise straightline speed. There were some horrific accidents, such as Didier Pironi’s career-ending crash during practice for the 1982 race, but the track’s safety record remained better than that of Germany’s other grand prix circuit, the Nürburgring.
For 2002, however, the track was given a makeover. Its long straights were ploughed up and the track was shortened by 1.4 miles, which created more overtaking opportunities and gave the crowd a better view of the action.
- Number of Laps:
67 - Circuit Length:
4.574 km - Race Distance:
306.458 km - Lap Record:
1:13.780 - K Raikkonen (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Magyar Nagydij 2010
- 30 Jul - 01 Aug
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The twisting and tortuous Hungaroring isn’t the most challenging circuit on the calendar, but it rewards aggression and the crowd gets a great view of the action. It also has a lot of history. The inaugural race in 1986 was the sport’s first visit behind the Iron Curtain; Nigel Mansell won his only world title at the Hungarian Grand Prix in ’92; and who can forget the rain in 2006, through which Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Jenson Button drove masterfully to claim his first grand prix win?
“The track is like Monaco, but with more run-off,” says Scuderia Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. But that doesn’t make it much easier than Monaco for the drivers because they have to battle the usually astronomic temperatures of early August.
For those attending the race, there’s no better city in which to cool off every evening than Budapest. The dramatic architecture and numerous restaurants that line the ‘Pest’ bank of the Danube make it a gastronomic delight. Articsoka (Zichy Jeno Street) is a favourite of F1TM regulars, but if the prices put you off there are hundreds of places to suit every wallet.
- Number of Laps:
70 - Circuit Length:
4.381 km - Race Distance:
306.630 km - Lap Record:
1:19.071 - M Schumacher (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Belgium Grand Prix
- 27-29 Aug
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Arguably the best F1TM track in the world. Spa-Francorchamps is one of only four tracks in 2010 that featured on F1’s inaugural calendar in 1950 (the others being Silverstone, Monaco and Monza), and it remains a huge high-speed challenge for the drivers.
It’s the longest track of the year and its undulations create many blind corners, through which the drivers need to be brave in order to be quick. “Spa is fantastic,” says Scuderia Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. “Eau Rouge is a great corner, but there are many on the track. F1TM drivers like to go fast and we can do plenty of that on this track.”
The circuit might be a favourite of the drivers, but success in the race usually requires luck and an uncanny ability to predict the weather. The Ardennes region of Belgium is famous for its microclimate and there have been meny races here in which it’s rained on one section of the track, but remained dry elsewhere.
Water is a constant theme for race-goers because the local town of Spa is world renowned for its bottled mineral water, which was first discovered by the Romans 2,000 years ago. So why not enjoy some chips and mayonnaise – and water – while at the race?
- Number of Laps:
44 - Circuit Length:
7.004 km - Race Distance:
308.052 km - Lap Record:
1:45.108 - K Raikkonen (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Gran Premio Santander D'Italia 2010
- 10-12 Sep
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The sea of red flags in the Monza grandstands will tell you how much the Italians love F1TM and Ferrari. For as long as the Scuderia continues in Formula 1TM – and it’s the only team to have contested every F1 race since 1950 – the sport will continue to thrive in Italy.
Everywhere you look at Monza, you’re reminded of the sport’s colourful history. The concrete banking, last used by F1 cars in 1961, can be seen in several different places, and many of the original buildings remain untouched among the woods in the centre of the track. The drivers stay in the same hotels as yesteryear too, with most taking a room at the elegant Hotel de la Ville near the perimeter wall of Monza’s Royal Park.
Monza is still a very high-speed track. The cars exceed 200mph on four occasions around the lap but the track is much safer today than at any point in its history.
Monza has also been the scene of many great races, such as Ferrari’s one-two finish in ’88, just a month after Enzo Ferrari’s death, and the track was the scene of the fastest race in F1TM history when Peter Gethin won the 1971 Italian Grand Prix at an average speed of 150.75mph.
There can be a lot of traffic congestion, so be prepared for an early start. Take a stroll around the park before you take your place in the grandstand – ideally you should be wearing red – and savour 60 years of racing history
- Number of Laps:
53 - Circuit Length:
5.793 km - Race Distance:
306.720 km - Lap Record:
1:21.046 - R Barrichello (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix
- 24-26 Sep
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Monaco may be the most challenging circuit in F1TM, but you’d struggle to find a more spectacular backdrop for a race than downtown Singapore at night. The Marina Bay circuit threads its way through the centre of the city, past some of its most famous landmarks such as the Raffles Hotel, the Fullerton Hotel and the Singapore Flyer. Taking tea at Raffles may seem an obvious tourist pursuit, but it’s something you have to do; but don’t make any plans for dinner afterwards!
The 8pm start time makes this the only night race in F1 and the 1,500 halogen lamps that are used to light the track create a wonderful atmosphere. To ensure that they’re properly rested for the late start, the drivers have to adopt a nocturnal routine in which they go to bed at 0400 and get up at lunchtime.
“It feels a bit strange staying on European time when all the locals are going about their business in the normal way,” says 2009 winner Lewis Hamilton. “But you get used to it and there’s something quite fun about not going to bed until 4am every morning!”
New for 2009 was ‘F1 Rocks’, at which Beyoncé and the Black Eyed Peas were the headline acts. The concerts started when the on-track action had finished, and there are plans for more of the same in 2010.
- Number of Laps:
61 - Circuit Length:
5.073 km - Race Distance:
309.316 km - Lap Record:
1:45.599 - K Raikkonen (2008)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix
- 08-10 Oct
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Except for a two-year sojourn to Fuji Speedway, Suzuka has been the home of the Japanese Grand Prix since the race became a permanent fixture in 1987. The track’s figure-of-eight layout is loved by the drivers and, amazingly, its corners have remained unchanged for more than 20 years, except for a slight easing of 130R in 2004 for safety reasons.
As is the case with many of the great tracks, Suzuka isn’t located near a city. Nagoya is an hour away by train, so the F1TM circus has to fill up the hotel rooms in the nearby towns of Tsu and Yokkaichi. At least the circuit has a funfair, so there’s something for people to do in the evenings – or when a typhoon strikes, as was the case in ’04, and the on-track action has to be abandoned.
F1TM is very popular in Japan and the local fans are obsessive, but respectful. Many drivers have Japanese fans clubs and you see many of them addressing club meetings on the Thursday and Friday nights before the race. Almost all the major figures in the sport stay at the circuit hotel; look out for some of them doing karaoke in the Log Cabin bar on the Sunday night.
- Number of Laps:
53 - Circuit Length:
5.807 km - Race Distance:
307.471 km - Lap Record:
1:31.540 - K. Raikkonen (2005)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Korean Grand Prix
- 22-24 Oct
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With 11 of this year’s 19 races taking place outside Europe, no one can dispute the world championship’s global credentials. And there’s little doubt about its main growth area: Korea is the third new race in South East Asia since 2004.
The Yeongam track is part of a massive development project in South Jeolla, a province whose economy revolves around agriculture. It’s more than 200 miles south west of the capital city, Seoul, and is served by the recently opened airport at Muan.
While the circuit is on schedule to be finished in July 2010, the international hotel chains may not be in place before the inaugural GP. The organisers intend to arrange shuttle buses from neighbouring towns to help visitors get around.
Ultimately the spectacular harbour front location will also house a business park as well as retail and leisure areas; while they’re under construction you could always visit the stunning Mount Wolchul National Park.
- Number of Laps:
55 - Circuit Length:
5.621 km - Race Distance:
309.155 km - Lap Record:
N/A
- Number of Laps:
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- Formula 1 Grande Premio Do Brasil 2010
- 05-07 Nov
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Emerson Fittipaldi paved the way for Brazilian drivers in F1TM. He won two world titles (in 1972 and ’74) and although only Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna have subsequently won titles, hundreds of young Brazilian drivers have travelled to Europe in pursuit of the dream.
Brazilian drivers always get a rapturous reception when they arrive. “It’s fantastic to be a Brazilian driver racing at Interlagos,” says Scuderia Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. “The atmosphere is fantastic. I grew up going to the track and it feels like a second home to me. I’m very proud of my two wins there in F1TM.”
Interlagos is located on marshland 10 miles from Sao Paulo, but such is the sprawling nature of the city that you never actually pass the city limits. The track first staged the Brazilian GP in 1973, and despite being slowed over the years, it remains a tough challenge for the drivers.
For many years the Transamerica Hotel was the F1TM hub of the Brazilian GP weekend. Although some of the teams have shifted allegiance to the new Hilton complex, the Transamerica still has character – and a helicopter pad. That’s why many team principals like to dodge the traffic by staying there.
The race has been the scene of real drama over the years: Senna’s tearful victories of 1991 and ’93 were unforgettable, as was Lewis Hamilton’s last-lap overtaking manoeuvre in 2008 to clinch the world title. Can 2010 possibly top that?
- Number of Laps:
71 - Circuit Length:
4.309 km - Race Distance:
305.909 km - Lap Record:
1:11.473 - JP Montoya (2004)
- Number of Laps:
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- 2010 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
- 12-14 Nov
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As Bernie Ecclestone said when he first saw Yas Marina: “It’s fantastic; no one will ever top this.”
The facilities are amazing – even the pit garages have air conditioning – and the twilight start time adds another dimension to the race. It also has the novel feature of a pitlane exit that passes through a tunnel under the main straight.
“It’s a fun track,” says Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ Jenson Button, who finished third in last year’s inaugural race, “although the dust away from the racing line can make it a bit unpredictable.”
The seven-star Yas Hotel, which lies adjacent to the circuit, is as swanky as anything you’ll find anywhere in the world. But don’t panic: there are normal hotels in the city of Abu Dhabi, which is just 30 minutes away by car.
Don’t miss Ferrari World, the largest indoor theme park in the world. Opening this year, it includes the world’s fastest rollercoaster as well as authentic Italian cafés and restaurants.
- Number of Laps:
55 - Circuit Length:
5.554 km - Race Distance:
305.361 km - Lap Record:
1:40.279 - S Vettel (2009)
- Number of Laps:
2010 Rules and Regulations - Whats New
- Korean Grand Prix - A new race on a brand new circuit, overlooked by a mountainous National Park, in the home country of F1™'s official technical partner, LG Electronics.
- Points system - Now runs 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 rather than 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1, to give drivers an extra incentive to fight for the top positions.
- No refueling - To balance the development of performance with efficiency, all cars must now start the race with enough fuel to complete the distance.
- Teams and drivers - New teams join the grid for 2010, including the return of the famous Lotus name, revived with backing from Malaysia. Bruno Senna, nephew of the great Ayrton Senna, is one of several drivers making their F1&trade debut.
- Third drivers - To give new talent an opportunity to gain experience, each team is allowed to let a 'third driver' test their cars on the Friday of each GP weekend.
- Tyres - The number of new sets of tyres each driver may use is limited; and, to encourage them to think more strategically about tyre use, they must start the race on the same set of tyres they used in final qualifying.
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