Story Notes: I'm using Grand Prix Manager 2 which is now a freebie, just search at Abandonia or The Underdogs for it. I've created two fictional teams, although Prodrive is scheduled to start in the 2008 season to create a bit more interest. I'm copy-pasting from Wikipedia in the opening post to give some insight into the sport. Any comments are more than welcome.
2005 In Review
The 2005 Formula One season was the 56th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 6, 2005, and saw fierce battles, as Fernando Alonso and the Renault F1 team brought home the World Drivers and Constructors Championships, ending five years of dominance by Michael Schumacher and Scuderia Ferrari. With 19 Grands Prix the 2005 season featured the most events ever.
The most-noted aspect of the early season was Ferrari's lack of pace, and races came to be dominated by the Renaults, especially that of Fernando Alonso. McLaren's Kimi Räikkönen proved Alonso's closest competitor. After early troubles the McLaren was generally considered the fastest package, however technical failures and race incidents meant an inability to translate this into a points lead in either championship.
The 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis saw only three out of ten teams race in a bizarre mishap when it turned out (after several failures) that the Michelin tyres for the other seven teams could not be safely used on the surface of the track, causing them to withdraw from the race when the FIA refused a change for safety reasons, insisting on keeping to the letter of the regulations.
After a high-flying 2004 season the most conspicuous drop in performance after Ferrari was BAR-Honda who were barred from two races due to regulations infractions. Thanks to the efforts of Jarno Trulli the Toyota team became a regular on the podium. Williams, by their standards, had another a poor season and it was announced at the end of June that BMW would split from the team in a deal with Sauber.
After a good start to the year, and despite a late charge from Kimi Räikkönen, Alonso won the world championship by finishing third in the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest ever F1 world champion.
At the final race in China, Renault's Alonso and Fisichella finished first and fourth, with McLaren-Mercedes' Kimi Räikkönen second, to help Renault clinch their first ever world constructors' championship.
After the success of the 2005 season, two new teams were officially unveiled bringing the number of teams in competiting in 2006 to 13.
On 28 April 2005, Prodrive and Mercury Racing were officially granted entry to F1 when the FIA announced the list of entrants to the 2006 Formula One World Championship. While a total of 22 teams applied for entry, the FIA had always maintained that, for reasons of both safety and practicality, only 13 teams would be granted entry, meaning only 2 new teams would line up on the grid in 2006.
FIA president Max Mosley was impressed by Prodrive and Mercury Racing's bids, which beat off stiff competition from the likes of Carlin Motorsport, the Jean Alesi-led McLaren-supported Direxiv outfit, BAR co-founder Craig Pollock, former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart and ex-Jordan Grand Prix team principal, Eddie Jordan.
At the end of 2005, three well-known teams were bought out: Minardi, Sauber and Jordan. The former were bought by Red Bull to be run as a junior team to house their growing list of young talent looking for an F1 drive. Despite campaigns by Minardi fans the team were renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso (Toro Rosso), Italian for Team Red Bull. The Sauber team was purchased by BMW. BMW opted to keep the Sauber name in F1 renaming the team BMW Sauber. Jordan, who had been bought by the Midland Group in 2004, changed their name to MF1 Racing after a transition year in 2005.
2006 will also see the introduction of a new Japanese team, Super Aguri F1, founded by former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki, who entered at the last moment. Super Aguri notified the FIA on November 1, 2005 (ahead of the governing body's November 15 deadline) of their intention to enter, but the FIA's initial entry list stated they had not approved Aguri's entry. However, the team received the consent of the ten existing teams to compete and paid the $48 million bond required as a deposit. The team was confirmed by the FIA on January 26, 2006.
The racing calender will also be shortened from 18 races to just 16 in an attempt to increase competition following Renault and Ferrari's domination. Three circuits will make their return into F1 following absenses of a number of years. Portugal's "Estoril" Circuit will open the season with South Africa's "Kyalami" in Round 4. Buenos Aires will also make a comeback, which will host Round 9, before the famous Silverstone circuit in Britain. Just like last year, Japan's Suzuka will host the Finale.
Season 2006 Calender:
- Estoril, Portugal
- Interlagos, Brazil
- Magny-Cours, France
- Kyalami, South Africa
- Imola, San Marino
- Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Catalunya, Spain
- Montreal, Canada
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Silverstone, Great Britain
- Hockenheim, Germany
- Hungaroring, Hungary
- Spa, Belgium
- Monza, Italy
- Melbourne, Australia
- Suzuka, Japan
Driver Changes
- Renault retained both Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella but replaced test driver Franck Montagny with GP2 driver Heikki Kovalainen.
- McLaren also retained both Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya but Alex Wurz left the team to test with Williams and the team promoted Gary Paffett to a permanent testing role. Pedro de la Rosa stayed with the team as a test driver.
- Ferrari kept Michael Schumacher but replaced long time team-mate Rubens Barrichello with fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa from Sauber. Massa had previously tested with Ferrari in 2003.
- Williams promoted GP2 World Champion Nico Rosberg to the second driver alongside Mark Webber. Alex Wurz joined the team as a third driver before being released to sign for Mercury Racing. India's Narain Karthikeyan has been signed as the new test driver of the team.
- Honda brought in Rubens Barrichello from Ferrari to replace outgoing Takuma Sato.
- Red Bull Racing decided to keep David Coulthard and Christian Klien as full time racing drivers. Liuzzi who had previously shared the second drive role with Klien moved to new Red Bull owned team Toro Rosso. While Robert Doornbos became a test driver for the team.
- New Sauber owners BMW brought in German driver Nick Heidfeld from their old partners Williams. They retained Jacques Villeneuve. Robert Kubica was brought in as 3rd Driver.
- MF1 retained Tiago Monteiro and brought in old Minardi driver Christijan Albers to replace Narain Karthikeyan. They have a rotation system for the 3rd Driver.
- Toro Rosso bring in old RBR drivers Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed and driver and old Sauber test driver, and Red Bull Junior Neel Jani.
- Super Aguri start the season with Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide an all Japanese driver line up. Franck Montagny from Renault is the third driver.
- Mercury Racing snapped up Alex Wurz and young gun Lewis Hamilton for first and second seats respectively. 41 year old Alex Zanardi joined shortly after as test driver.