The Melbourne grid - 2010?

[xpensive]

When speculation is one of my favourite pastimes, I have amused myself by compiling a possible entry-list for Melbourne next year. Negative? Näh, just realistic.

Ferrari, three cars.
McLaren, three cars.
BMW, three cars.
Red Bull, three cars.
Brawn, two cars.
Force India, two cars

[ISLAMATRON]

16 cars huh

[xpensive]

This is how i figure Islam, Renault and Toyota won't be there unless they are very successful this year, which they will not.

Toro Rosso won't be allowed to run RBR's and Williams don't have a serious sponsor.

[axle]

This is how i figure Islam, Renault and Toyota won't be there unless they are very successful this year, which they will not.

Toro Rosso won't be allowed to run RBR's and Williams don't have a serious sponsor.

Williams have RBS until the END of 2010, can no body read?

[ISLAMATRON]

and USF1? not gonna happen?

[vasia]

This is how i figure Islam, Renault and Toyota won't be there unless they are very successful this year, which they will not.

So how exactly do you know that ... ?

I find it silly that some people (at this stage) are still actually dismissing Toyota. Glock had a 2nd place finish last year and Trulli had a 3rd place finish. Frank Dernie helped Toyota with their 2009 car, and I will bet anyone a big reason why Toyota looks so competitive so far is thanks to Dernie.

As for Renault, all I will say is never, ever underestimate Alonso. Even if the Renault car remains midfield all season, that is enough for Alonso to pull off podiums or even a win.

As for Williams, they will manage somehow.

[xpensive]

I regret to have expressed myself so categorical, when the above was obviously just what I THINK will be.

However, after today's confusing signals from FIA with "wins only" on the one hand and some kind of "sub-divisional" budget racing on the other, who knows what Melbourne 2010 will look like?

[nae]

mickey mouse and goofy will be there with a team each

[ESPImperium]

I dont think that Toyota will pull the plug, as all they want from this year is a simmilar season to BMW Sauber last year, a single race win will do it for them.

Williams have RBS till end of 2010, and i think they will have a new sponsor on board by start of next year any ways.

STR will still be there, but not with the RB chassis, they will, and have been designing & building their own tawrds the end of last year and into this, whitch will see them have their own chassis be on the 2010 grid, albit still under the STR Brand name, as i think there will be a new partner com into this team soon.

USGPE will also be on the grid as well.

I am very optomistic about 24 cars on the grid for 2010. However, the team i am most worried about if Force India, if Malya wants success this year, i feel that he will be disapointed, and i feel that he could bail this year, more towards the end of the year.

[axle]

With a $30 budget only, we could see 24/26 cars on the grid.

[Conceptual]

I just want to see Bernie on the grid strapped to Max's back as the new F1 Championship will become more like Greyhound racing.

They let the silly rabbit loose, and then sick the dogs on em!

[natef1]

I just want to see Bernie on the grid strapped to Max's back and some rockets!

Fixed. Then we light the rockets and see what happens

With a $30 budget only, we could see 24/26 cars on the grid.

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with a $30 budget. Maybe then all the teams can pool their cash together, and with $360, they could probably get a Scalextric set and have races that way.

[axle]

I just want to see Bernie on the grid strapped to Max's back and some rockets!

Fixed. Then we light the rockets and see what happens

With a $30 budget only, we could see 24/26 cars on the grid.

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with a $30 budget. Maybe then all the teams can pool their cash together, and with $360, they could probably get a Scalextric set and have races that way.

Whoops yes $30m Though with the current climate you could be right.

[WhiteBlue]

BMW 2 cars
Brawn/Merc 2 cars
Ferrari 2 cars
Renault 2 cars
Red Bull 2 cars
Toyota 2 cars
McLaren 2 cars
Williams 2 cars
Audi, Porsche or Seat 2 cars ex Toro Rosso
Force India 2 cars
USGPE 2 cars
Aston Martin 2cars
Tata 2 cars
Excellent Motors Ltd. of China 2 cars

On a totally different note I'd like to speculate a bit about rookie chances for taking a seat on the 2010 Melbourne grid.

2010 will be highly entrepreneurial in terms of drivers compared to the predominantly conservative 2009 grid. Old or blunt irons like Reikkonen, Barichello, Trulli, Piquet, Kovaleinen, Heidfeld, Fisichella and Webber will be under tremendous pressure.

2009 feeder series will see competition from GP2 and F2. So a bunch of talent will have credentials to challenge the established fat cats for low wages.

Teams will generally go for 2-3 million wages for top drivers with stock options for performance bonusses. Upshots will pay even less and offer the same bonusses without chance to cash in on them.

So driver wise 2010 will be a riot in my view.

[xpensive]

Quite obviously, the timing of this thread was as bad as it was good, but anyway.

I belive that yesterdays sudden changes might very well signal the beginning of an exodus of the big manufacturers, when I doubt if FOTA can accept either those rules or such a humiliation. Besides, I wouldn't be surprised if that was "the twins" general idea to begin with.
I guess this begs for a completely different scenario for Melbourne 2010.

Ferrari(3)
McLaren (3)
RBR
Williams
Brawn
Force India
??? (Ex Toro Rosso)
David Richards (Ex Renault)
Theissen/Rampf (Ex BMW)

The last one is perhaps the wildest speculation, but I cannot see BMW fit in this new situation.