2010 Test Driver Silly Season!

How is the Test Driver market going in Formula One?

Testing ban => pretty badly, I'm guessing.

I know Giancarlo Fisichella will be TD for Ferrari and it looks like Fairuz Fauzy will be TD for Lotus.

Yes.

On the other hand Alguersuari, Badoer, Grosjean, Liuzzi and Kobayashi all used it as a stepping stone to a race seat this year. Although the lack of testing doesn't offer much opportunity for developing a driver's talent at the moment, it also seems to have made teams more willing to use the races for training. Or, at least, it did. The difficulties experienced by most of the replacement drivers this year might have made them change their minds again.

With 6 more race seats available for 2010 than up until 2009, surely a lot of present test drivers -- e.g. De la Rosa, Davidson, Klien -- are looking to step up to a race drive, for next season. So much will depend on which drivers end up where.

Plus what Victor_RO said.

Sensibly Williams had some mileage in the new car for Nico Hulkenberg preseason. Not only meant he has some experience for next season but also meant that they had a spare driver in a more ready state than the likes of Badoer if they needed. Shows that there is still some market for test drivers these days even with the limited mileage allowed.

Australian (from Perth) Daniel Ricciardo will make his debut at the wheel of a Formula One car when he tests for Red Bull Racing at Circuito de Jerez over three days, on December 1–3.

But without backing he's got no hope of a drive in an RBR any time soon or probably far ... its said he's quick too, but ... ?

Trying to remember what I've read - is this about right?


McLaren - ?

Mercedes - ?

Red Bull - ? (Daniel Ricciardo?)

Ferrari - Giancarlo Fisichella and Jules Bianchi, with Luca Badoer and Marc Gené still there somewhere.

Williams - ? (Andy Soucek?)

Renault - ? (Romain Grosjean? Ho-Pin Tung? Jérôme d'Ambrosio?)

Force India - ?

Toro Rosso - Brendon Hartley? (Mirko Bartolotti?)

Lotus - Fairuz Fauzy

Campos - ?

USF1 - ? (Jonathan Summerton?)

Virgin - Álvaro Parente and Luiz Razia

Sauber - Bertrand Baguette (?)

Mclaren gave Pedro DLR till the end of the year to decide whether he´ll stay with them or not.....

Marc Gene is staying in Ferrari combining with Peugeot for Le Mans so no change for Marc.....

Ah, yes. And there's Gary Paffett, of course.