27/12/07 - The 2008 Formula 1 season seems to be having a major make-over as more and more new faces are filling up the grid.
When Michael Schumacher finally called it a day at the end of the 2006 season, many considered that Formula 1 was entering a new era; a “changing of the guard”. Formula 1 was now going to be ruled by the next generation of drivers.
Indeed, the 2007 season has showcased abundant talent of youngsters like Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Heikki Kovalainen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. Not to mention that veterans like newly crowned World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Nick Heidfeld and the underappreciated Jenson Button are still young and have a lot of racing years left in them. In essence, 2007 did define a new-look Formula 1 grid. As the season heads to 2008, yet more changes are to be expected.
Some of those changes have already been cemented. Veteran Alexander Wurz for instance already announced his retirement from racing in Formula 1. His seat will be filled in by Kazuki Nakajima. Renault, on the other hand, signed another promising driver: Nelson Piquet Jr. in addition, Champ Car sensation Sebastien Bordais has also been signed by Scuderia Toro Rosso to partner Vettel.
But then again, it is not just in the confirmed deals that point to signs of further grid changes. There are, after all, huge question marks looming around very familiar faces of the F1 paddock: Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher. Both drivers had a less-than-stellar 2007 showing. Hence, both were dropped by their respective teams.
With Force India having confirmed Adrian Sutil for a 2008 drive, only one available slot is left. It is obvious that yet another familiar face is on the verge of an F1 exit. At the moment, rumors indicate that Fisichella is likely to snatch the vacant seat. Whether true or not, Force India still needs to confirm their line up.
However, Formula 1 has always been unpredictable. It is still likely that both veterans may lose out on the available racing seat. After all, it wasn’t too long ago when Bernie Ecclestone himself claimed that he wanted to see new faces deeming that new talent was good for the sport. If Force India follows the suggestion of Ecclestone, Vitantonio Liuzzi may very well land the last vacancy. If that happens, David Coulthard, Rubens Barrichello, and Jarno Trulli become the only drivers on the grid to have raced in Formula 1 before the turn of the millennium.
Formula 1 indeed is going for a very young look.
