It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change significantly as the event approaches and more information becomes available.
The 2009 Formula One season will be the 60th FIAFormula 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 2008 season.[1] 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.
† - Although Scuderia Toro Rosso is currently for sale, the team have since confirmed that they will not change ownership before the 2009 season.[15]
‡ - Although Prodrive was granted an entry to the 2008 season, the company has not yet confirmed if they intend to pursue a 2009 entry. The FIA has explicitly stated that Prodrive is no longer guaranteed a spot on the 2009 grid after failing to fulfil their 2008 obligations.[citation needed]
2009 Race schedule
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.[16] 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[17], but it was later confirmed on the provisional FIA calendar that this is not the case.
On 12 May2008Bernie 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[18].
† 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 Circuit[citation needed] this could be changed to the "Mediterranean Grand Prix"[22].
On 3 July2008, 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.[23]
On 22 December2006, the FIA released the technical regulations for the 2009 season[25].
Along with changes to bodywork, vehicle weight and tyre size, the document includes details of a "Kinetic Energy Recovery System", or 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.
There will also be a cap on team budgets starting in the 2009 season.[27]
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.
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.[31]