2007 Australian FULL GP! (not in english)

What am I going to write about before the season starts?

Some of you have asked me what I am writing about before the season starts and now it's time to answer that question as good as I can.

Of course I am posting news, updates, videos (old races, documentaries etc.) and I am continuing with my "Finnish F1 drivers" -series.

I am also going to compare the 2015 teammates like I did last year with 2014's line up. Some of the teammates are the same as last year so I am forced to copy what I said last year and make a small update about how they did last year. But I promise new stuff in every post of course.

Some are very interested of the F1 stuff that I find or buy so maybe I will post some "F1 treasures" as well.

The 2015 winter testings are also coming soon so I am forced to write about them as well. I promise to post the results every day and maybe something about the new cars etc.

I am also announcing that the PREDICTORS LEAGUE will start right away from Melbourne so make sure you will post the top3, pole position and fastest lap of the race (driver not actual time) before the weekend.

If you have any questions about anything else or these same topics then feel free to ask.

Finnish F1 drivers: Kimi Räikkönen PART 2

Near the end of the 2009 season, Ferrari announced that Räikkönen would be leaving the team, despite having a contract to race for them in 2010. He would be replaced by Fernando Alonso. 

He was expected to return to McLaren alongside Lewis Hamilton but negotiations with the team failed. 

Räikkönen was linked to Mercedes GP but the team eventually signed Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. 

Toyota F1, before it pulled out of Formula One, offered Räikkönen a driving contract to replace Timo Glock in 2010. The BBC reported that he refused the contract owing to wanting to drive a race-winning car, not to mention Toyota not offering a large enough salary.

On 17 November 2009, his manager Steve Robertson confirmed that Räikkönen would not drive in Formula One in the 2010 season. But during 2010 itself, rumours emerged once again about another possible Räikkönen comeback this time with the Renault team in 2011. This followed a resurgence in Renault's form, and the fact that the Russian Vitaly Petrov had yet to be re-signed like team-mate Robert Kubica. 

Team principal Éric Boullier claimed he had been contacted by Räikkönen in connection with a possible return, but said that although he was flattered by Räikkönen's alleged display of interest:

"I would have to speak personally with him first, look him in the eyes to see if I see enough motivation there for him to return to F1. It doesn't make sense to hire somebody, even a former world champion, if you cannot be sure that his motivation is still 100%. Why should you invest in somebody who leaves you guessing?"

However Räikkönen angrily shot down the suggestion that he would race, claiming that Renault had simply used his name for "their own marketing purposes".

In the week before the 2011 Singapore Grand Prix, several news sources reported that Räikkönen was eyeing a return to Formula One for the 2012 season with Williams F1 after he was spotted at the team's headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire. Several reports went so far as to suggest that Räikkönen had entered preliminary negotiations with the team. However, the team refused to comment on the reports, with driver Rubens Barrichello dismissing them as rumour and speculation. On 29 November 2011, it was announced that Räikkönen would be returning to Formula 1 in 2012, signing a two-year contract with Lotus.

Räikkönen began the season by qualifying 17th for the Australian Grand Prix after making a mistake on his last flying lap. However he recovered his weekend during the race the next day, as he made a good start to move up to twelfth, before making it into the top ten. He took three places on the last lap of the race, to finish in seventh place. 

In the dry qualifying session for the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix Räikkönen qualified in 5th place. He started the race from 10th place because of an unscheduled gearbox change. In the race he had the opportunity to try Pirelli's wet-weather tyres for the first time. He finished the race in 5th despite being inexperienced with Pirelli's wet-weather tyres compared to most of the other drivers. 

At the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix he was 14th after running 2nd before being overtaken by 10 cars in the space of one lap, due to a mistake in tyre strategy, expecting the Pirelli tyres to last longer in the last stint. 

At the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix he finished second starting from 11th position on the grid. It was his first podium and his best finish of this comeback. 

Three weeks later, Räikkönen finished third at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, after having qualified in fifth place, which had been promoted to fourth as a result of a penalty given to Lewis Hamilton. 

In Monaco Räikkönen qualified in 8th but finished one place lower in 9th place. 

For the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix Räikkönen again had a bad qualifying session finishing 12th. He was able to finish 8th in the race taking, as he stated, "important championship points". 

In the 2012 European Grand Prix at the Valencia Street Circuit he finished second behind Fernando Alonso. 

In the 2012 British Grand Prix he finished fifth, after having qualified in sixth place. 

During qualifying for the 2012 German Grand Prix, Räikkönen had good pace in Q1 with the harder set of tyres and was looking good for a potential shot at a higher grid place. At the start of Q2 the rain was already heavy meaning that Räikkönen lost the advantage he had in dry conditions. In the wet Q3 session he qualified in 10th place. Good pace in dry conditions from the qualifying session was proven in the race as Räikkönen succeeded to finish 4th, and eventually gaining the last podium spot after Sebastian Vettel was penalised for an illegal overtaking manoeuvre. 

For the 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix Räikkönen qualified 5th. He lost fifth place at the start to Fernando Alonso due to a KERS issue on his E20 car. He succeeded in gaining a position over Alonso during the first round of pit-stops, and later did the same to Button and Vettel during the second round. He finished the race in 2nd place, just one second behind the race winner Lewis Hamilton.

After a 5-week long summer break, the much speculated introduction of a 'Drag Reduction Device' by Lotus F1 team has been delayed due to bad weather conditions on Friday for the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix. That didn't stop Räikkönen from qualifying fourth. He went on to finish 3rd behind Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel. 

A week later at 2012 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Räikkönen qualified 7th and finished the race in 5th. At the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified 12th as his Lotus E20 couldn't match the pace of the top 3 teams and eventually finished 6th. 

At 2012 Japanese Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified 8th after spinning at his final attempt in Q3 and finished 6th after being passed by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton after the second round of pit stops. 

Next in 2012 Korean Grand Prix saw the introduction of a coanda style exhaust system and several other minor updates to the Lotus E20 which, Lotus team boss Eric Boullier regraded as a new era in his team's development race. Räikkönen eventually qualified 5th and finished the race in 5th after an impressive battle with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton which ended in Räikkönen's favour. Even though he was 48 points behind the championship leader Sebastian Vettel after 16 rounds of the 2012 Formula One season, Räikkönen said he takes inspiration from the 2007 Formula One season which he won at the last round in 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton suffered gearbox problems. 

At the 2012 Indian Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified in 7th place. He couldn't manage to improve his starting position because of a lack of top speed on the straights. After this race, the contract with Lotus F1 was extended for 2013 due to the fact that the terms of options in the contract have been met. 

On 4 November 2012, Räikkönen won his first race for the Lotus F1 team at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after a good start from fourth saw him take Pastor Maldonado and Mark Webber at the first corner. He was unable to match the pace of Hamilton, but a mechanical issue retired the McLaren and allowed Räikkönen to win the race, despite pressure from the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso in the closing stages. 

Although he was now mathematically eliminated from the championship as a result of Vettel finishing 3rd, the name Lotus celebrated its first win since the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix which was won by Ayrton Senna. 

Still third, Räikkönen was 16 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the championship. But after Hamilton's pole position at the concluding race of 2012, Räikkönen would have to finish at least fifth in the race if Hamilton were to win. He qualified only ninth. On lap 52, Räikkönen, who had been in-and-out of the points frequently, made a mistake and went off the track and tried to use an escape road to re-enter the track rather than drive over the grass. 

The road was blocked and he was forced to turn back. He lost numerous places and found himself behind a Caterham and a Marussia. He skidded again to be lapped, but re-claimed the lost places and with a retirement from Hamilton, finished the race in 10th and claimed his 3rd place in the standings, with a 1-point contribution to the tally. He ended the season 71 points behind Fernando Alonso and 74 points behind champion Sebastian Vettel.

On a French auto racing website, www.toileF1.com Räikkönen was named the driver of the year. In second place was Fernando Alonso.

Before 2012 was over, Lotus confirmed that Räikkönen would be racing with the team in 2013, after several weeks of speculation that Räikkönen had several other options for 2013, including other forms of motorsport.

On 17 March 2013 he won the first race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix despite starting from seventh, thanks to a two-stop strategy. He also set the fastest lap of the race on lap 56. He described the victory as one of his easiest wins. 

Räikkönen qualified seventh in Malaysia, but was demoted three places for impeding Nico Rosberg during qualifying. He finished the race seventh, behind team-mate Grosjean, after damaging his car at the start.

At the Chinese Grand Prix, he qualified and finished second, despite having to regain the two places he lost at the start and having damaged the front of his car while battling Sergio Pérez for position. In the Bahrain Grand Prix he qualified ninth, but was promoted to eighth after Lewis Hamilton received a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change. He finished the race second ahead of his team-mate Romain Grosjean, with Sebastian Vettel winning the race. 

The podium of the race was exactly same as in 2012. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Räikkönen started fourth and finished second thanks to a three-stop strategy. At the next race in Monaco, Räikkönen started fifth but an aggressive overtake by Pérez gave him a puncture and dropped him out of the points until a last-ditch attempt on the final lap where he overtook Esteban Gutiérrez, Valtteri Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg to gain tenth place. In the process, it continued his streak of 23 consecutive points finishes, one shy of the record of 24 set by Michael Schumacher across three seasons between 2001 and 2003.

With his Lotus struggling during the Canadian Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished ninth. On 30 June 2013 at the British Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished in the points for the 25th consecutive race, breaking Schumacher's record. He finished fifth but believed second place could have been possible had he pitted during the safety car period. The result kept him in third place in the championship. 

At the German Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified fourth and finished second, only a second behind Vettel with the help of the safety car. Räikkönen struggled in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, unable to capitalise on strong times earlier in the weekend. He qualified sixth but finished second – for the fifth time at the circuit – holding off a last minute charge from Vettel with fresher tyres. The result promoted him to second in the Drivers' Championship, one point ahead of Fernando Alonso and 38 points behind championship leader, Vettel.

At the Belgian Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished fastest in Q2 but struggled during the wetter final session, qualifying 8th behind his teammate. Although Räikkönen did gain some places in the race, he was eventually forced to retire with a brake related issue on lap 27, ending the Finn's record-breaking run – also numbering 27 – of consecutive points finishes. The DNF also ended his chances of beating the most consecutive race finishes – a record held by Nick Heidfeld at 41 finishes – Räikkönen recorded 38.

He failed to score again at the Italian Grand Prix after losing his front wing at the start. He managed to make his way up the order, but was unable to pass Jenson Button for a point scoring position. On the week following the race, it was announced that Räikkönen would not continue with Lotus for the 2014 season, and instead join Fernando Alonso at Ferrari. Before the following Singapore Grand Prix, it was revealed that Räikkönen had not been paid salary by Lotus for the whole season, meaning there were several million euros of outstanding fees. Räikkönen publicly cited this as the reason for leaving Lotus for Ferrari.

In the Singapore GP, Räikkönen had recurring back problems during the practice sessions, which at first put his participation in the race in question. He qualified only 13th, but was still able to return to the podium, clawing to the third place partly thanks to a safety car intervention in the middle of the race. At the Japanese Grand Prix, he qualified 9th and finished 5th.

Two weeks later, at the Indian Grand Prix, Räikkönen qualified 6th. In the race, he opted for a one-stop tyre strategy, placing him in the second place at the closing stages of the Grand Prix. However, during the final few laps, his pace was more than a second slower than those chasing him, including Nico Rosberg and Räikkönen's Lotus teammate Romain Grosjean. With eight laps remaining, Rosberg was able to take over Räikkönen for second. Grosjean then caught up with Räikkönen on the fourth last lap, but was not immediately able to pass him. At this point, the Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane had a profane and heated radio exchange with Räikkönen, commanding him to move out of the way. The radio conversation was widely noted in the press, raising questions about the health of his relationship with the team. Räikkönen eventually finished 7th after stopping for new tyres with only two laps to go.

In the following Abu Dhabi Grand Prix questions about Räikkönen's relationship with his team were further fueled by his absence from the usual Thursday media events. Räikkönen had reportedly only left his home at the last moment to make it to the Grand Prix after considering not racing at all in the event. 

On Friday, Räikkönen then publicly threatened that he would not continue to race with Lotus in the remaining two Grands Prix of the season after Abu Dhabi unless the salary dispute was resolved. In the Saturday's qualifying, Räikkönen made it to 5th, but was demoted to the 22nd and last grid spot due to his E21 car failing a post-qualifying floor deflection test. 

In the race, he immediately made contact with Giedo van der Garde's Caterham in the first corner of the first lap and broke his Lotus's right front suspension, forcing Räikkönen to retire on the first lap for the first time since the 2006 United States Grand Prix. Following the race, it was announced that Lotus and Räikkönen had reached a provisional agreement on the salary dispute that would see Räikkönen race for the team during the remainder of the season as the investment group Quantum Motorsports said that they had concluded long-running negotiations with Lotus for acquisition of a share in the team, providing the team with financial security.

However, a week before the following United States Grand Prix, it was announced that Räikkönen would nevertheless miss the rest of the season, having elected to have back surgery for the problems that had troubled him in the Singapore Grand Prix. For the remaining two Grands Prix, Räikkönen would be replaced at Lotus by fellow Finn Heikki Kovalainen.

On 11 September 2013, it was confirmed that Räikkönen had agreed a 2-year deal to return to Ferrari (where he won the championship in 2007), starting from 2014. He revealed that it was for monetary reasons that he left Lotus.

A rule change for the 2014 season allowed drivers to pick a unique car number that they will use for their entire F1 career. Räikkönen however decided to retain the #7 car number he used for Lotus during the 2013 season as "It's the number I already had last year and I saw no reason to change it".

After a mostly disappointing first half of the season, Räikkönen had a return to form at the first race back after the summer break in Belgium, where a good strategy and a series of fastest laps earned him fourth place, his best result of the season. It was also the first time Räikkönen had finished higher in a race than Alonso in 2014. The rest of the season continued like it had been in the beginning (mostly finishing behind Alonso).

In 2015 Räikkönen will have a better car because the car will be more designed for him and not Alonso. His new teammate will be Sebastian Vettel who's driving style is similar to Kimi's so that will help as well. It will also be easier to see who is faster. Kimi or Sebastian?

FIA clarifies new virtual safety car procedures

Formula One racing's governing body, the FIA, has formally confirmed how the new virtual safety car (VSC) system will work ahead of the 2015 season.

The concept was introduced in the wake of Jules Bianchi's crash in last year's Japanese Grand Prix, and was trialled during practice at the last three races of 2014. 

The procedures have now been agreed and set out as part of the 2015 sporting regulations, which state the VSC may be used to neutralise a race, and will "normally be used when double waved yellow flags are needed on any section of track and competitors or officials may be in danger, but the circumstances are not such as to warrant the use of the safety car itself".

Once the virtual safety car has been called, all electronic marshal panels around the track will display 'VSC', while teams will be notified via the official messaging system.

Drivers will not be allowed to enter the pits, unless changing tyres, and must stay above the minimum time set by the FIA at least once in each marshalling sector. Cars may not be driven "unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous," with those who fail to stay above the minimum time to be sanctioned by the stewards.

When the clerk of the course is satisfied it is safe to resume racing, teams will be notified via the official messaging system. Then, "at any time between 10 and 15 seconds later, 'VSC' on the FIA light panels will change to green and drivers may continue racing immediately". After 30 seconds, the green lights will be extinguished.

The FIA also formally confirmed that, as revealed in December last year, double points at the final round and standing restarts after safety car periods have been removed from the 2015 rule book.

(source: f1.com)

F1 TREASURES XI

I haven't done this in a while but here goes.. 

Got my 2014 season review today and it's a double bluray! It took under two weeks to come from the UK to Finland. Just as long as I am willing to wait. Well.. actually when it's F1 I can wait for a year if I have to!

I will write something about the review when I have watched it. It's over 5 hours long so I don't have time to watch it right now.

Later today I bought myself a Lotus deodorant :D It was only 2 euros so why not?

I will try to post more often what I find from stores, flea markets etc. (F1 related items). Haven't had much time for stuff like this lately and some of you have requested me to do these more.

Tomorrow I will post PART 2 of Kimi Räikkönen in the "Finnish F1 drivers" -series.

Hot topics: 10 intriguing questions for the 2015 season

It may seem an age since the chequered flag dropped in Abu Dhabi to end the 2014 season, but fear not - in less than a month the teams and drivers will be back in action at the first pre-season test of the year. To whet your appetite, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the most intriguing storylines heading into the new F1 campaign…

1. Can anybody dethrone Mercedes? 
There were times in 2014 when Mercedes appeared unbeatable, a silver juggernaut sweeping all before it and breaking all manner of records in the process. But while there have been ominous mutterings of areas in which the Silver Arrows can improve further this year, history suggests repeating that level of dominance will be an extremely tall task. 

So can Mercedes’ rivals close the gap? And, if they do, will the dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg change? It was the pair’s rivalry - and the constant swings of momentum which at times threatened to derail their relationship - which helped make 2014 so compelling. Seeing how they square off once more, while also having to fend off renewed competition from rival teams, will be fascinating.

2. Will Sebastian Vettel’s arrival revitalise Ferrari’s fortunes?
By their own impeccably high standards, 2014 was nothing short of a disaster for Ferrari, with just two podium finishes from 19 races and, for the first time since 1993, no race wins. Unsurprisingly, some big changes have been made at the Italian team over the winter: engineering director Pat Fry and chief designer Nikolas Tombazis have both departed, while Maurizio Arrivabene has been brought in as team principal in place of Marco Mattiaci. 

But undoubtedly the biggest change is on the driver front where Sebastian Vettel, the youngest four-time world champion in F1 history, has been drafted in in place of Fernando Alonso. Given the German’s difficult 2014 campaign - not to mention his performances relative to Red Bull team mate Daniel Ricciardo - some have questioned whether Vettel is the right man to lead Ferrari back to the top, but the Scuderia are clearly confident that he’ll bounce back to his best sooner rather than later. 

But there was more behind Vettel’s signing than simply his speed on the race track. Like Michael Schumacher before him, the Scuderia are hopeful that Vettel’s enthusiasm and renowned work ethic will help galvanise the team and provide some much needed direction. Whether Vettel is able to do this remains to be seen, but he’s certainly not lacking in either motivation or self-belief, and at the very least he can be expected to form a strong working relationship with - and perhaps bring the best out of - long-time friend (and new team mate) Kimi Raikkonen. 

3. Can McLaren and Honda rekindle the magic of old? 
McLaren-Honda. For many F1 fans these words send shivers down the spine, such are the memories associated with this historic partnership. Paired together for five seasons in the late eighties and early nineties, the British team and Japanese engine manufacturer won an incredible 44 races as well as four drivers’ crowns and four constructors’ titles. Rightly or wrongly such a legacy has ratcheted up expectations for 2015, though in reality it’s difficult to know what to expect from the revived partnership in year one. 

Clearly, the out-of-the-box performance of Honda’s new power unit will have a major impact on overall performance, but will the Japanese firm struggle as a result of being a year behind fellow suppliers Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari in terms of data and experience, or will they benefit from the extra year they’ve spent watching, learning and developing? That question could be moot if McLaren don’t come up with the goods chassis-wise, and clearly a big step forward needs to be made from last year’s disappointing MP4-29. 

But whilst there is uncertainty over McLaren’s new car, there can be no such doubts over the quality of their driver line-up. In Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso the Woking team boast two of the quickest and most experienced racers on the grid. The only possible question mark is how the latter settles back in at McLaren, seven years on from a tempestuous single season with the team…

4. Does Daniel Ricciardo have what it takes to spearhead Red Bull’s title charge? 
His speed was never in question, but over the course of an outstanding 2014 season Daniel Ricciardo proved he also has the ability to consistently handle pressure and thrive in the heat of battle - traits that are often hallmarks of the sport’s greatest drivers. But does the Australian truly belong in such illustrious company - and is he ready to lead a Red Bull team determined to regain the drivers’ and constructors’ silverware? 

With a new team mate in the form of highly-rated youngster Daniil Kvyat, Ricciardo will need to deal with a whole new set of challenges in 2015. A revelation after stepping up from Toro Rosso to Red Bull, how he fares this time around could do much to prove whether the ‘smiling assassin’ is also a world champion in waiting…

5. Will Nico Hulkenberg finally score a podium finish? 
Of the 13 drivers on the 2015 grid with 20 or more Grand Prix starts to their name, only one has failed to claim an F1 podium finish. That driver, somewhat surprisingly given his stellar reputation and obvious talent, is Nico Hulkenberg, whose best results remain a pair of fourth places. There can be no doubting the German’s ability to consistently operate near the top of his and his car’s potential - he finished in the top ten in 14 of the 19 races in 2014 - but despite comfortably outscoring Force India team mate Sergio Perez over the course of last season, it was the Mexican who delivered the team’s only podium finish (in Bahrain), and who came agonisingly close to another in Canada. 

Of course, Hulkenberg’s hopes of breaking his podium duck in 2015 are contingent on Force India producing another competitive car. If they do, then the onus is on Hulkenberg to take the next step and prove to the top teams that they were wrong to pass him over for a race seat. 

6. Will Williams finally return to winning ways?
Though they flirted with victory on several occasions in 2014, the history books show that Williams have won just once in the past decade. On the face of it they have an exceedingly good platform to change that statistic in 2015, having made massive strides both behind the scenes and on the track last year - a progression that has continued over the winter. 

But Williams have been here before. Rejuvenation in 2012, when they collected that sole win (with Pastor Maldonado in Spain), was followed by a distinctly uncompetitive showing in 2013. So have they now got it right, and put the pieces in place to finally return to winning ways? After the uncertainty and false dawns of recent seasons, the team have renewed momentum, and in Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa they have a dynamic driver pairing. Re-establishing themselves as a Formula One force is tantalisingly close…

7. Can Sauber break back into the points after miserable 2014 campaign? 
Last year’s championship table made for grim reading at Sauber, as they failed to score a point for the first time in their proud 21-year history. The discontent has been followed by a winter of change, including an all-new driver line up. 

Marcus Ericsson - who appeared to make strides with Caterham last year - and rookie Felipe Nasr - who challenged for the GP2 crown in 2014 - are not without pedigree, but are they the right pairing to lead the team back to the promised land? Lessons will have been learned from the unloved and uncompetitive C33, but even so 2015 will be a critical year as Sauber look to rejuvenate their flagging fortunes. 

8. Will Mexico be as challenging a race as it was before?
In its previous guise Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was a daunting challenge for man and machine, featuring, amongst other things, a notoriously bumpy surface and a fearsome final corner: Peraltada. As you might expect, the circuit is undergoing much-needed improvements ahead of the first race in the country since 1992, but despite Peraltada’s demise (owing to a lack of run-off), the good news is that much of the old layout will remain. 

But perhaps the most intriguing challenge for the drivers will be the circuit’s unusually high elevation. Situated at more than 2,000 metres above sea level, it’s comfortably the highest altitude track on the calendar, and according to Nelson Piquet, who finished second in Mexico in 1987, the drivers could suffer if they don’t ready themselves adequately: “I remember before going there you had to prepare very differently,” the three-time world champion told us. “I used to go to the mountains before the race to get used to that altitude. It was always a challenge to race in Mexico City. Of course the cars are (physically) much easier to drive than back in my day, but still I’d recommend to all the guys that they take a break in the mountains (to prepare).” 

9. Is a switch to Mercedes power what Lotus need to return to winning ways? 
Lotus didn’t so much fall as plummet from grace in 2014. From Grand Prix winners in 2012 and ’13, they struggled to break out of Q1 at times last year; and having previously carried the fight to the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, race victories - let alone a title challenge - were suddenly miles away. 

Can they rise from the ashes in 2015? There are certainly reasons for the team to be optimistic - a switch from using Renault engines to the all-conquering Mercedes power units could breathe new life into the team, while flaws in the design of the E22 have - according to Lotus - been identified and understood. Their technical team has also had time to bed in, following a spate of departures ahead of the 2014 season, whilst their driver line-up remains unchanged. The ingredients therefore exist for Lotus to launch themselves back to the front - but much will depend on the new E23 hitting the ground running…

10. Will Toro Rosso’s youthful gamble pay off? 
There’s no question about it: Toro Rosso’s decision to pair 17-year-old rookie Max Verstappen with 20-year-old rookie Carlos Sainz Jr in their 2015 driver line-up represents one of the boldest moves in recent F1 history.

Both young men are undoubtedly hugely talented and bursting with potential - Sainz graduates to F1 racing having won the hugely competitive Formula Renault 3.5 series, whilst Verstappen (who has been mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Ayrton Senna by Red Bull’s talent-spotter-in-chief Helmut Marko) was a multiple race winner in last year’s European F3 championship, in what was his first season of car racing. Both drivers have also impressed in their limited running in an F1 car to date.

However, the big question is whether two drivers as young as Verstappen and Sainz have acquired the necessary maturity and racing experience to flourish at the highest level. Will their inexperience hinder Toro Rosso when it comes to developing the car? Will the team regret parting company with the experienced Jean-Eric Vergne? Or will both drivers emerge as genuine superstars of the future, following in the footsteps of the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button who all made the grade at a young age? We can’t wait to see how it plays out.

(source: f1.com)

Button's finest Grand Prix drives (according to f1.com)

After months of uncertainty surrounding his future in Formula One racing, Jenson Button saw in the New Year in style after confirming an extended deal with McLaren and then marrying long-term partner Jessica Michibata in Hawaii.

Ahead of the 16th year of an illustrious F1 career that has included one world championship crown, 15 victories and 50 podiums, we look back at a selection of the Briton's finest drives over the years - from fairytale wins to wet-weather masterclasses and the most epic of all comebacks...

Making a splash as a rookie, Germany 2000
He had already scored points in just his second Grand Prix in Brazil, but it was at Hockenheim that Button truly announced himself in his maiden F1 season. From last on the grid - the consequence of his engine not firing up - the Briton initially struggled to make headway up the order. A mid-race safety car helped him make progress, but it was a late shower that truly transformed his fortunes. On a track that swung from dry to wet and back again - and at different rates in different areas - Button showed the qualities that would become his hallmark, judging conditions to perfection to charge up the order and clinch fourth courtesy of a fantastic late pass on Sauber's Mika Salo.

The first pole, San Marino 2004
Fresh from two straight podiums, Button produced a breath-taking lap at Imola in 2004 to claim his first F1 pole position, a quarter of a second ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher - and a full second clear of his BAR team mate Takuma Sato. The Briton kept that advantage at the start, leading Schumacher as the pair rapidly pulled away from the rest of the field. The Briton would lose the lead - and ultimately the victory - at the first round of pit stops, but finished a comfortable second, with Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya completing the podium. "It was another fantastic race for me," he said afterwards, having demonstrated superlative one-lap and race-distance pace. "Second is another step closer to our ultimate ambition - a first win for me and the team."

One-handed heroics, Germany 2004
Button arrived at Hockenheim on a sensational run of six podiums and 10 points finishes from the first 11 Grands Prix of 2004. And despite a 10-place grid drop forcing him to start from 13th, he left with that record - and his burgeoning reputation - very much enhanced after what he later labelled "without doubt the best race of my F1 career". Though his first lap yielded just one gain, he was soon scything his way through the field: he led twice as his rivals made earlier stops, and by mid-distance was hounding Renault's Fernando Alonso in a fight for second. The scrap was the showpiece of the race: Button pulling alongside the Spaniard several times as they hit 330km/h, only for Alonso to hang on. Finally Button outfoxed his rival, diving down the inside at Turn 8 to snatch a brilliant second. Even more remarkable was the fact he was driving with one hand in the build-up: a loosening strap meant his helmet was lifting up on the straights, drawing the strap tight against his throat and making it hard to breathe. His incredible charge meant the Briton, one-handed or not, finished just eight seconds off a possible first F1 victory.

Button stuns in the wet, Hungary 2006
Bizarre summer thunderstorms meant this was destined to be a race of theatre and upsets even before Button's charge. But through his brilliance in tricky conditions the Briton would dominate all the headlines: after 113 races without a win, his wait was ended in fitting style. He was the man to watch at the start as he made rapid progress from 14th on the grid - the result of an engine change penalty - to rise up to fourth after just seven laps. His progress continued, and by mid-distance he was second and fighting to close up on Renault's Fernando Alonso. The pair's battle would be decided 19 laps from the finish: Button took the lead as Alonso pitted for the final time, but the Spaniard's day was soon over as a loose rear wheelnut forced him to retire. Button claimed the chequered flag, sparking wild celebrations on the Honda pit wall and again on the podium. "If my voice sounds funny, it's because I've been screaming so much," Button laughed afterward. "I didn't want the race to end. What a day!"

The unlikeliest of triumphs, Australia 2009
This was fairytale stuff: after a winter of uncertainty and discontent, Button and Brawn romped to pole and victory in Australia, delivering an empathic early statement about their 2009 title credentials. Only a few months before, the Briton hadn't even been sure he would be on the grid; now he had his second Grand Prix win and a car that was the clear class of the field as the season kicked off. It was that turmoil that made the win so special - the race itself was less eventful, with Button starting on pole and leading every lap despite late pressure from Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica. "This win is for me, my family and my team," Button beamed afterward. "It's been a traumatic few months and I want to say a massive thank you to them all for being so strong and never losing belief. And what's so exciting is that there is so much more to come…"

First-lap charge sets up victory, Bahrain 2009
Button was in his element in 2009, delivering a number of outstanding performances including victories in Malaysia, Turkey and Spain. But it was in Bahrain that he arguably had to be at his most tenacious. With Brawn struggling for headline pace, Button needed to make up ground on the first lap - and he duly delivered. Sebastian Vettel was dispatched around the outside of Turn 1, before Lewis Hamilton was picked off at the same corner one lap later. The moves were critical, allowing Button to move onto the tail of the Toyotas that had locked out the front row. On less fuel, they pitted before the Briton, who delivered a few superb laps to undercut both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock and move into a lead he would extend almost relentlessly over a sensational middle stint. Victory was his, set up by his opening lap brilliance. "It wasn't easy from there but getting up to third on the first lap was crucial for me," he admitted afterward. "It has been a tough weekend as we didn't have the pace that we expected - which makes this win even more rewarding."

A lifelong dream fulfilled, Brazil 2009
Interlagos was a rollercoaster like no other Button had experienced. His once imperious championship lead had been gradually pegged back, and the pressure only intensified heading into the penultimate round. The Briton could guarantee himself the title by finishing fifth but, as his team mate Rubens Barrichello secured pole, he was left rueing his tyre choice as he could manage no better than 14th on a drying track. Talk moved toward a final-round showdown, with Button himself admitting he would need a "hell of a race" to wrap up the title. He delivered just that. He made up ground immediately, moving into ninth at the end of a chaotic first lap, while further aggression paved the way to a precious fifth. His first drivers' crown - and Brawn's fairytale constructors' triumph - were secured. "Today was the best race that I've driven in my career and I'm really going to enjoy this moment," he reflected. "It's going to take a while to sink in but for now I'm just revelling in the achievement of a lifelong dream."

Stealing the thunder down under, Australia 2010
Despite his 2009 championship success, few predicted that Button would thrive alongside new McLaren team mate Lewis Hamilton in 2010. Fewer still predicted he would triumph within two races. But in Australia, the Briton did just that. Once again his ability to read a race, call conditions and eke out tyre life were his major weapons. Having dropped two places to sixth on the first lap, Button surged back into contention by being the first to gamble on switching to slicks on a drying track. When Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel hit technical trouble Button duly hit the front, managing to stretch his tyres for the next 52 laps to claim the chequered flag after what had been an epic race. "In these tricky conditions, I think we made some very good calls and we came away with a victory," was Button's verdict. "You might say we were lucky in some ways, but I think we just made the right calls - and that's so important nowadays. A Grand Prix win in a McLaren - sounds good, doesn't it?"

A modern classic, Canada 2011
This was a win for the ages, a classic that will go down in history. It was also arguably Button's finest. From the back of the field, the Briton charged through the order to snatch victory on the final lap - the "best victory of my career," as he put it at the time. "I fought my way from last to first to win the race, and I overtook the cars in front of me on the track - it couldn't have been much sweeter. I can't stop smiling!"

Not for the first time, Button made the right calls at the right time in a race of changeable conditions. Rather than being a tale of simple good judgement, however, this was an extraordinary triumph in every sense. Button visited the pits six times in total; survived contact with Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa; and made up 20 places at a rate of almost one per lap over the second half of the Grand Prix. It was his final stop for slicks on a still damp track that ultimately swung the race: running 10th, Button seemed to find an extra gear, a pace none of his rivals could match. Within four laps he was up to fourth, on one occasion slicing around four seconds in a single lap out of Sebastian Vettel's lead. After scything past Mark Webber and then Michael Schumacher, he began inexorably closing on the lead. Under such extreme pressure Vettel finally cracked, running wide at Turn 5 and ceding the lead on the last tour. Button swept by, the final act of a stunning drive. "I really do not know what to say," he mused afterward. "It was a very special race to win from where I was - I will remember this for a long time."

Button calls it right, Hungary 2011
Victory on his 200th Grand Prix start was Button's reward for perfectly judging conditions in a race that was, in his own words, "brilliantly eventful". Rain at the start, and again in the closing stages, meant the result was in almost constant flux, but Button was inch-perfect. From third on the grid he was one of the first to change from intermediate tyres to slicks, giving him the platform to scythe past Sebastian Vettel and set off in pursuit of team mate and leader Lewis Hamilton. Both "on the limit", their battle ebbed and flowed until Hamilton spun as a sudden shower hit at three quarter distance, with Button taking full advantage to snatch the lead. He would drop back to second, but as the rain increased he opted to stay out on slicks - a race-winning call, although it took immense skill to stay on track and maintain tyre temperature for a critical few laps. The rain eased, and Button - once again the master of his own fortune - was triumphant.

(source: f1.com)