2009 Testing - This Far

Team-by-team listing!! (Well, important teams)

The Top 3:
McLaren: The 2008 winners seems to be the only top team with testing running according to plan. They seem to have the lead at this moment. Nothing's really gone wrong, they just need to keep finding the perfect set-up for the car!!

Ferrari: Heading for the Sakhir circuit was a mistake. They got a total of 400 testing kilometers less than McLaren (who were testing at Jerez) and are now calling in Michael Schumacher as a consultant regarding slicks. He might be test driving in Mugello once he's recovered from his recent bike crash. Additionally, their KERS is heavier than most others.

BMW: Front wing difficulties have caused BMW to get working on a revamped front wing. They're not as fast as Ferrari right now. They will still be a force to count on. World champions? No. Podiums? Surely.

The Surprising 2:
Toyota: Toyota has been keeping up with Ferrari in Bahrain, sometimes being the fastest team over a day. They might not have the same edge as Ferrari, but they may well be a common sight on the podium in 2009.

Red Bull: Red Bull is perhaps the strongest and most surprising this far. At this moment in time, I keep them as the second best team, behind McLaren. They need to fine tune the setup, and they will surely be fighting for some wins.

The Crap 1:
Renault: After having some serious issues with the car, they are now stopping ALL testing for the rest of February. Why? Their car is not good enough. They're putting all resources into pretty much remaking it. It's not good enough. Fernando Alonso will take care of all the testing in March. Perhaps the cock-up team of 2009

The Non-Moving 2:
Toro Rosso: They are waiting for their Red bull chassis. With the Ferrari engine, they may do well. They have mediocre drivers, though, and should be nothing more than a midfield contestant.

Force India: Watch out!! With McLaren engine and KERS, as well as help in other areas, Force India may be the surpise of 2009. I warn you - Sutil might hit a podium or two in 2009. All it takes is some luck. Surely not in the run for wins, no way, but they will probably make a giant leap forwards under 2009.

The Rest:
Williams: Williams are not making a huge impression. They are where they were last year. Far back, but not at the complete bottom. They won't be much better than 2008. Nico Rosberg might want to look into changing cockpit for 2010...

Honda: Testing..? No, they are not. But they are developing their car. Sir Richard Branson of Virgin wants to buy Honda, rumours say. He says he is interested. They might just line up for 2009. If so, they are likely to have Jenson Button and Bruno Senna driving for them.

USF1: No, they will not be racing in 2009. They're up for 2010. Danica Patrick is rumoured to already be scheduled for a late 2009 test with USF1. This would make her the first female F1 driver, ever. Why not??