The highly anticipated 2010 Formula 1 season kicks off this Sunday at Bahrain… and it promises to be an exciting year.
With the return of Michael Schumacher, four world champions on the grid and a bunch of new rules in force, the battle is truly on for our Grand Prix drivers.
So, to get you ready for the first race, we’ve put together a break-down of the new rules and changes to the 2010 season… come on team McLaren!
No refuelling:
One of the most significant changes to the 2010 Formula 1 season is the ban on refuelling. This means that, for the first time since the 1993 Australian Grand Prix, cars will have to start the race with enough fuel to see them to the end.
This change will most notably have an impact on the time spent in the pit stop. Drivers will now be expected to get in and out of the pit lane in just three and a half seconds. The Renault team has already been practicing the three-second stops but no matter how many times you rehearse, it’s impossible to recreate the pressure during a real race.
New Points System:
The other major change is the new points system. The new system (25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1) goes down to 10th place and sees a significant jump between the points awarded for first and second place. The new system has been implemented so that drivers don’t settle for second best and will now see everyone fighting for that elusive first place.
Tyre Crazy:
Each driver now gets only 11 sets of tyres per weekend, six sets of primes and five options. Three of the sets only apply to Fridays and must be handed back even if they aren’t used. Drivers from the Q3 session must also start the race on the tyres on which they set their grid time.
Penalty Charges:
Finally, the penalty for engine changes has been doubled, forcing a driver to drop 10 grid positions at the race at which the failure occurs, and for the next. Teams are now allowed to run their third drivers on a Friday, provided they use the engine and tyres allocated to the nominated race driver of the relevant car.
With the new rules in place, a host of new teams on the grid and highly awaited return of Michael Schumacher, the 2010 Formula 1 season should be one to remember…
The 2010 Formula 1 season kicks off at Bahrain on Sunday 14th March. Coverage of the race will be shown on BBC One at 3pm.
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Donna Kelly
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