WOO!

I think I'm the only person excited to see Badoer back again...love a bit of retro 90s driver conebacks. Am eager to see Wurz next year actually...come on Luca, trounce Kimi and get yourself back in the loop lol

Jon, this is Luca 'Can't Score A Point' Badoer you're talking about...

I am aware of that...

But a part of me loves to think that he has driven this car enough in testing and has spent the last 9 years since he last raced honing skills to the extent that he is now...

SUPER BADOER!!!

But I'm under no illusion that he probably will be useless, it would just be so cool to see him be awesome

Well after his amazing performance at Valencia, where the gap in Q1 between him and Alguersuari in second last was bigger than the gap between Alguersuari and whoever was quickest in Q1, I think it's more Useless Badoer

Ferrari's options?

Well, Badoer was slow and made errors. It wasn't a terrible performance for someone who started racing in F1 at the same time as, and is actually older than, Rubens Barrichello and has enjoyed limited grands prix since (last racing in 1999 for Minardi, some ten years ago!). Putting him in the hotseat is understandable with Michael Schumacher unavailable, but the Scuderia can do better.

Marc Gene, the other Ferrari tester, might be little better.

McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa has more recent race experience in F1 but he'd be hard to prize from his current squad, no doubt. Better gambles could include the dropped Sebastien Bourdais and even Nelsinho Piquet!

Giorgio Pantano wanted to be in F1 again, didn't he?

So did Villeneuve I think, and Sato is still looking for that comeback :S Or maybe Bruno Senna??

I don't understand why they didn't choose Gene over Badoer in the first place, he has raced much more recently, both in and out of F1, he took part in F1 as recently as 2004 I think, and if memory serves he was in this years Le Mans 24 Hours. I'm not sure however, even my memory has it's limits.

Sato shouldn't be allowed near an F1 car again, Senna would be an option, I also heard Anthony Davidson was linked to it, he deserves another chance, and he would be my favoured choice.

Badoer raced on a track he didn't know in a new car...test of the man is at Spa me thinks. If he's as bad there then they should get someone else in. Gene would be little better I fear though...

Any idea who's supplying the William's engines next year, since they're parting ways with Toyota. Plus who gets the seats? With Nakajima almost certain to be dropped and Nico all but confirmed off to Mclaren

Robert Kubica is a name I've heard in connection with a drive for Williams (but also for Toyota, Brawn and Renault). Don't overlook the possibility of Nico Hulkenberg getting in on the action, either.

Patrick Head is actually a Nakajima fan, I believe - so maybe he won't go. But I think for the sake of the team's progress he ought to be replaced.

Nakajima has been absolutely shocking this year, the fact that Rosberg has about 30 points in an ultra-competitive field to Nakajima's 0 says it all really. I didn't agree with him getting the seat in the first place, and if Williams lose their Toyota engines at the end of the year, I would be amazed if Nakajima remained next year. In fact I'm surprised there haven't been any rumours or speculation or anything like that about hiin the 1990'sm being replaced before the end of this season.

With Red Bull looking to Mercedes next year, could this pave the way for a return of Reanult to Williams, just like the glory days in the 1990's?

As for drivers, I wouldn't be surprised if Hulkenburg gets a drive, he has looked pretty decent in GP2. But I think there will be a major merry-go-round of drivers this year, I think Kovalainen could be in the frame, as are Heidfeld and Kubica. Although, is the BMW team closing their doors completely, or could they be bought out, like Brawn and Honda this year?

Speaking of which...

planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_5530000,00.html

Just apperared

The trouble is with all of this Mercedes power is that the FIA only allow 2 teams to have the same engine maunfacturer. After that, the supplier needs permission and the only reason Brawn got that was because of the special circumstances in which the team was launched. A fourth Mercedes team seems a bit unlikely from that point of view...

If anybody is powered by Mercedes, I would expect it to be Williams anyway - what's a better trade for Rosberg then an engine contract?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ferrari powering Red Bull next year personally, they already power Torro Rosso so it would seem the natural progression...

Seemingly there is nothing wrong with the Renault engine in the RBR - so why fix what isn't broken? I agree with Sam that Williams would be a better or more likely partner because the perfect trade for Rosberg would be a sparkling Mercedes power plant - but Rosberg's contract is up anyway, no? Williams could do worse than Kovy/Heidfeld on the cheap...

The rumour mill is turning and saying that Red Bull are looking to have Mercedes power next year, or at least according to Jonathan "shot in the arm" Legard.

Although, with an engine manufactuar only being allowed to power 2 teams, Cosworth will power all 3 of the new teams next year, as well as the other new team should BMW not be bought out

Latest stuff I've heard

Rosberg -> Mclaren
Heidfeld -> Williams
Hulkenberg -> Williams
Petrov -> Williams
Kubica -> Renault
Nakajima -> Toyota

Renault Engines -> Williams

I reckon someone will end up buying BMW, but Kubica will go anyway. I think Ferrari should keep Raikkonen, and Massa should be the one to make way for Alonso, and I just hope he doesn't get sympathy votes off people just because of his crash.

And if Brawn want to replace either of their drivers, it should be goodbye to Jenson, not Rubens!

I would like to see Kimi in a Williams, or back to McLaren. Neither is very likely, but it would be amazing. That or Alonso to Williams - that would also be cool. I think Williams just needs a shithot driver to come along and stir things up

Congratulations to The Hulk on winning the GP2 championship with a race weekend to spare - the first time this has happened in the short history of the competition.

So who'll pick him up for next year? As the Williams tester he must have a foot in the door already...

What does everyone think the drivers line-up will be next year? Some of the calls will be really tough, and the addition of the new teams will add to what will already be a massive merry-go-round of drivers

Here are my predictions, although in some cases its what I think should happen as opposed to what could happen

Numbers based on if the season stopped now

BRAWN
01. J BUTTON
02. R BARRICHELLO - In the form of his life, he maybe 37, but he's still got a couple of years left in him

RED BULL
03. M WEBBER
04. S VETTEL

FERRARI
05. K RAIKKONEN - Raikkonen deserves to stay at Ferrari, his form has really picked up the last few races
06. F ALONSO - the worst kept secret in F1

MCLAREN
07. L HAMILTON
08. N ROSBERG - with Kovalainen looking likely to be leaving, Rosberg would be the ideal replacement

TOYOTA
09. T GLOCK
10. F MASSA - Will be squeezed out of Ferrari, and with Trulli thought to be retiring from F1 at the start of the season, Massa could do alot worse than go to Toyota

WILLIAMS
11. H KOVALAINEN - With Rosberg likely to be moving to McLaren, Kovalainen could well be going the other way
12. N HULKENBURG - Been on Williams' books for years, and after winning the GP2 title comfortably, looks a pretty safe bet

REANULT
14. R KUBICA - BMW pulling out, Alonso leaving, Kubica could well end up at Reanult
15. R GROSJEAN - Unspectacular start to his F1 career, but he'll be back in 2010

FORCE INDIA
16. A SUTIL
17. V LIUZZI - Deserves another shot at F1, was very unlcuky at Monza

TORO ROSSO
18. S BUEMI
19. J ALGUESUARI - Will stick with these 2 drivers for 2010, the whole point of Toro Rosso was for 2 young Red Bull backed drivers to hone their skills, and they have gone back to this

USGP
20. M ANDRETTI
21. G RAHAL - Always said they wanted 2 American drivers, these 2 look the most promising and the most likely

MANOR
22. N HEIDFELD - Losing his drive with BMW pulling out, and with other doors shut this could be his best bet, Manor have said they want an experienced driver
23. L DI GRASSI - Deserves a shot at F1

CAMPOS
24. P DE LA ROSA - has been linked with the team constantly, may well like a final chance in F1 after being a test driver, similar to Alex Wurz in 2007
25. V PETROV - also been linked with the seat, decent in GP2 this year

LOTUS
26. B SENNA - Lotus could well want a big name in team, and they dont get much bigger than Senna!
27. A DAVIDSON - Deserves another shot at F1

BRAWN
01. J BUTTON
02. N ROSBERG - If Mercedes take the 70% stake in Brawn that they keep banging on about, Nico will be driving in White and Yellow to keep him out of Hamiltons way

RED BULL
03. M WEBBER
04. S VETTEL

FERRARI
05. K RAIKKONEN - The best drive on the grid, by a big big margin, when he can be bothered. Ferrari won't simply buy out that massive contract just to keep Massa in a seat. However...
06. F ALONSO - Won't replace either Ferrari driver currently in the team (Fisi is the exception), however...
07. F MASSA - ...They might run the third car idea they have been floating around all year to sort out their driver logjam. Saves them buying out a top drivers large contract and then watching him dance off to another top team to possibly bite them on the ass, and keeps Felipe (baby) cool

MCLAREN
08. L HAMILTON
09. R BARRICHELLO - Will be somewhere on the grid, won't be at Brawn unless he wins the title, which he won't. Button is in talks for a contract extention, Rubens isn't, go figure. Has been rear gunner before, and I see this as some sort of compromise for Rosberg taking his Brawn drive.

TOYOTA
10. T GLOCK
11. K NAKAJIMA - Williams had to pick him to get Toyota engines, they'll be running Renault next year, so Toyota, the only Japs on the grid, will run the only Jap on the grid.

WILLIAMS
12.N HEIDFELD - Won't stay on with Lotus, Williams will take him back because he's experienced and consistant enough to pick up points, and is the perfect foil for a young german rookie
14. N HULKENBURG - Signed on to Williams for ages, Schuey's old manager. He'll definitely be in this seat.

REANULT
15. R KUBICA - Williams were unable to secure Renault engines officially, despite principles being agreed a while ago, because Briatore was using them as leverage to stop them signing Kubica, so he'll be here
16. R GROSJEAN - French, would've won GP2 without his F1 call up. Deserves his slot

FORCE INDIA
17. A SUTIL
18. V LIUZZI - Well, Fisi isn't coming back is he?

TORO ROSSO
19. S BUEMI
20. J ALGUESUARI - Blooding young drivers is the entire purpose of this team, why change?

USGP
21. S SPEED - Is American and has F1 experience, frankly, he's the best they can conjure up of US racing talent
22. M ANDRETTI - A1 is frankly the closest any US driver has come to F1.

MANOR
23. G FISICHELLA - His contract with Ferrari is for testing, but he is allowed to drive is a race seat becomes available. Manor frankly won't want to be running those Cosworths for too long, and keeping a Ferrari reserve fresh might be a sound idea.
24. V PETROV - Probably the poorest team on the grid, bringing in a young and talented Russia will have those oligarchs pockets jangling

CAMPOS
25. H KOVALAINEN - Will be dropped by Mclaren, not sure where else he fits this equation to be honest.
26. P DE LA ROSA - Spanish

LOTUS
27. C KLIEN - Was the BMW test driver. Has F1 experience.
28. B SENNA - Will be in F1 eventually, if only because of his name. A Senna by name, not by ability, for a Lotus by name, not in Spirit/