Formula 1 news: 14/12/09
Schumacher to Mercedes GP, Lotus driver line-up revealed, new F1 points system
It’s been a big few days for Formula 1. With the year drawing to a close and preparations for the 2010 season set to get into full swing next month, driver line-ups are starting to be confirmed. Click here for the latest Formula 1 2010 grid breakdown The biggest story at the moment centres around Michael Schumacher. The seven-times world F1 champion is strongly rumoured to be joining the Mercedes Motorsport GP team (formerly Brawn GP), with the German media claiming a season-long deal has been signed, netting Schuey around £3million. He would line up alongside Nico Rosberg, Mercedes Motorsport’s first confirmed driver. Schumacher doesn’t exactly have anything to prove, but his stunted attempt to fill in for Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in the summer may have whetted his appetite for a return to action, at the age of 41. It would certainly be a great PR exercise for putting Merc’s new team on the map, too. Elsewhere, Lotus F1 has announced its driver line-up. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen both have three-year deals with the new team, the former coming from the now-defunct Toyota GP team and the latter from McLaren, having been ousted by the incoming champion Jenson Button. ‘Trulli will bring us a lot of experience to develop the team, and Heikki is a young driver but has phenomenal experience so I think we have two fantastic drivers with Fairuz as well’, said Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes. Trulli has kept his feet on the ground, saying he hopes to see Lotus making progress towards top-ten race finishes by the end of the season, rather than expecting Brawn GP-style success from the beginning. Top ten finishes would ensure points for Trulli and Lotus, though, with a new points system coming into force for the new season. There will now be 25 points awarded for a win and points for those who come ninth or tenth, a 25, 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1 order replacing the outgoing 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The points awarded to podium finishes are still in the same proportion as before. Keep your eyes on evo.co.uk for the latest F1 news Follow evo on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook
