Changes Aplenty in 2010 Formula One Season

Jenson Button, who no one expected to win, walked away with the 2009 Formula One Drivers Championships. Driving for Brawn GP, this was the second of major things Formula One fans witnessed in the 2009 season. The first was, of course, the inclusion of Brawn GP in the teams. With drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello driving for Brawn, and Brawn being just in its first year, no one expected the drivers championships to go to Button. However, in a display of superb and almost flawless driving, backed by an astounding support team, not only did Button win the drivers championship, but ensured that his team, Brawn GP, also took the Constructors Championship for 2009, that too right under the noses of greats like Ferrari and Mercedes.

With a bright future for Button and the Brawn team in 2010, everything looked set for an interesting 2010 season. Alas, this was not to be, as Mercedes-Benz bought off Brawn, in the first of many shocking changes in Formula One. To be called the Mercedes Grand Prix, or Mercedes GP, in the 2010 season, this will be the first time in 15 years that Mercedes will race under its own name. Unfortunately, the 2009 champion, Jenson Button, will not drive for Mercedes, but is rumored to be driving for McLaren. Barrichello too, will leave the Mercedes stable and move over to Williams. Mercedes is still in the process of announcing their two drivers, and are rumored to be acquiring F1 legend Michael Schumacher to race for them in the 2010 season, alongside Nick Heidfeld.

And that's not all! The 13th team, yes 13th, has confirmed its entry into the 2010 season, with Sauber taking the spot. They will replace Toyota, who have decided not to race in the 2010 season. Pete Sauber, who initially sold the team to BMW, reacquired it from BMW last week, and announced his intention to take part in the 2010 season. With this inclusion, the 2010 season will feature 13 teams and 26 drivers. Sauber has yet to announce their drivers for the 2010 season.

With everything going into turmoil, F1 in the 2010 season will be something brand new, with drivers and teams shuffled all over the place. McLaren will have a definite edge over the rest, with the 2008 champion, Lewis Hamilton, and the 2009 champion, Jenson Button, both driving for them. On the other hand, Mercedes [previously Brawn GP] proved to have a better car in 2009, and this might make them worthy competitors for McLaren. In all this confusion, one should not forget Ferrari, who with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, might give Mercedes and McLaren a run for their money.

However, as seen in the past few weeks, anything is possible, so be ready for more surprises to come your way. What is certain though, is that with all these changes and transfers, the 2010 season will be really really interesting to watch and follow. The 2010 season kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix, on March 14, 2010. Can't wait, can we!