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# Formula One 2011: Team-by-team guide
## Who is who and what to expect in the 2011 Formula One season.
![Formula One, 2011: Team by Team guide: Red Bull][1]
The one to beat: Red Bull's RB7 has drawn much praise in testing Photo: AFP
[![Tom Cary][2]][3]
By [Tom Cary][4] 4:00PM GMT 19 Mar 2011
[Follow Tom Cary on Twitter][5]
[Comments][6]
**[RED BULL ][7]**
**1-Sebastian Vettel (Germany), 2-Mark Webber (Australia) **
It appears that the 2010 champions will again be the team to beat with the RB7
drawing admiring looks in testing. What McLaren wouldn't give to have design
guru Adrian Newey back. Vettel, 23, is unlikely to drop as many points as last
year when he nevertheless emerged as champion. Webber continues to defy
expectation.
**[MCLAREN ][8]**
**3-Lewis Hamilton (GB), 4-Jenson Button (GB) **
## Related Articles
* [Schumacher: Red Bull in driving seat][9]
11 Mar 2011
* [Schumacher eyes top step of podium][10]
01 Feb 2011
* [Hamilton defiant amid the gloom][11]
12 Mar 2011
McLaren have suffered a torrid pre-season, with the MP4-26 labelled "a mess"
by former driver Martin Brundle. It has not even completed a race distance
yet. But write them off at your peril. McLaren have pedigree when it comes to
catching up and Hamilton, in particular, can drive around problems. A switch
of rubber could suit Button too.
**[FERRARI ][12]**
**5-Fernando Alonso (Spain), 6-Felipe Massa (Brazil) **
Ferrari have completed more laps in testing than any other team and sound
pretty confident. Alonso is generally considered the most complete driver on
the grid. And with the team-orders ban scrapped, he could be favoured earlier
than ever. Englishman Pat Fry has come in to oversee strategy following the
Abu Dhabi debacle.
**[MERCEDES ][13]**
**7-Michael Schumacher (Germany), 8-Nico Rosberg (Germany) **
The dark horses. No one was talking about Mercedes as contenders until
Barcelona last week when the W02 suddenly showed some pace. Schumacher now
says he is confident he can "fight for wins". He'll have to beat Rosberg to do
that. With the strongest engine-KERS combination and Ross Brawn at the helm,
could be interesting.
**[RENAULT ][14]**
**9-Nick Heidfeld (Germany), 10-Vitaly Petrov (Russia) **
Robert Kubica's horrific rally crash has cast a shadow over the team. The
Pole's career may be over, never mind his season. His absence has given
'Quick' Nick Heidfeld another shot in F1. The car looks decent, with an
innovative exhaust, but the team could hit problems if sponsor Group Lotus
loses its High Court battle with Team Lotus.
**[WILLIAMS ][15]**
**11-Rubens Barrichello (Brazil), 12-Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) **
Now a publicly-floated company, Williams have this year designed the smallest
gearbox in the team's history. Will it stand up to the bump and grind of race
day? If they can stay reliable then in Barrichello they have the most
experienced driver in the history of the sport. Maldonado brings Venezuelan
oil money.
**[FORCE INDIA ][16]**
**14-Adrian Sutil (Germany), 15-Paul di Resta (GB) **
There are high hopes for F1's 'third Brit', Di Resta. His manager, Lewis
Hamilton's father Anthony, reckons the Scot is pretty special and he's not
alone in that. Di Resta will do well to beat the quick but temperamental Sutil
in his rookie year. However, there are doubts as to the team's long-term
future.
**[SAUBER][17]
16-Kamui Kobayashi (Japan), 17-Sergio Perez (Mexico) **
Kobayashi was one of the stars of 2010, livening up the midfield no end.
However, he now finds himself the senior driver in the team after just one
season with Perez making his bow. Perez is the first Mexican in F1 since ex-
Lotus and Brabham driver Hector Rebaque in 1981. With new backers, Sauber are
looking sound.
**[TORO ROSSO ][18]**
**18-Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland), 19-Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) **
Perhaps the biggest surprise of pre-season was Toro Rosso's form. Now
designing their chassis independently from Red Bull, they appear to have done
a good job this year and will hope to be challenging Sauber and Force India at
the very least. Buemi and Alguersuari now more experienced. Regular points
scorers.
**[TEAM LOTUS ][19]**
**20-Jarno Trulli (Italy), 21-Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) **
On track things are progressing well. The best of the new teams last year and
almost certainly the best again this season. They are now looking to take on
the likes of Sauber and Force India with a Red Bull gearbox and Renault
engine. The High Court case with Group Lotus, which begins tomorrow, is a
distraction though.
**[HRT][20]
22-Narain Karthikeyan (India), 23-Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) **
How Colin Kolles keeps this team going is remarkable. They haven't even turned
a wheel in winter testing while Karthikeyan last raced in F1 in 2005. Liuzzi
is quick, if erratic, but can expect to be back among the tail-enders if he
finishes. The car should be quicker than last year's, but that is not saying
much.
**[VIRGIN RACING ][21]**
**24-Timo Glock (Germany), 25-Jerome d'Ambrosio (Belgium)**
An interesting team. Bernie Ecclestone clearly doesn't have much time for Sir
Richard 'nickel-and-dime' Branson. But with new Russian backing from sportscar
maker Marussia, Virgin are on a sounder financial footing. The car is still
all-digitally designed. Glock has experience, d'Ambrosio is on a steep
learning curve.
**WHAT'S NEW IN 2011?**
**Drivers: **There are a clutch of new faces on the grid this year, including
a third Briton in the shape of Paul di Resta (Force India). The Scotsman, 24,
famously beat Sebastian Vettel when they raced together in F3. Pastor
Maldonado (Williams), Sergio Perez (Sauber) and Jerome d'Ambrosio (Virgin) are
the other rookies.
**Cars: **By far the biggest change to the cars sees the introduction of
Pirelli tyres in place of Bridgestone. They wear fast so expect two or three
stops per race. Also, we have KERS energy boost systems back for first time
since 2009 and driver-adjustable rear wings, which can only be deployed at
certain moments. Controversy guaranteed.
**Team Orders:** After the furore over Ferrari's use of team orders at
Hockenheim last year, the ban has been controversially lifted. But don't
expect blatant manipulation -- at least not from the word go. 'Bringing the
sport into disrepute' is still forbidden and ordering a driver aside in the
first race would surely constitute that?
**Races: **The Indian Grand Prix, scheduled for Oct 30, is the only new race
for 2011. Another Hermann Tilke creation (surprise, surprise) in Greater
Noida, 50kms from New Delhi. Also of note circuit-wise is the new pits and
paddock complex at Silverstone, which sees the start-finish straight move its
location altogether.
**107 per cent rule**: Minnows beware. During Q1, any driver who fails to set
a lap time within 107 per cent of the fastest time will not be allowed to
start the race. However, in exceptional circumstances, which could include a
driver setting a suitable time during practice, the stewards may permit the
car to start.
**Curfew**: Mechanics will be delighted with a new six-hour curfew which has
been brought in to stop teams pulling 'all-nighters' over a GP weekend. Now
they can go boozing instead. However, each team is allowed four jokers per
season. For instance, to patch up a car which has been totally written off.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/8391119/Formula-
One-2011-Team-by-team-guide.html
Telegraph
## [Formula One][27]
* ### [Sport »][28]
* ### [Motorsport »][29]
* ### [Lewis Hamilton »][30]
* ### [Ferrari »][12]
* ### [McLaren »][8]
In sport
[![][31] ][32]
### [Red Bull rule in Turkey][32]
[![Formula One 2011: drivers' and constructors' world championships standings
- Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton][33] ][34]
### [F1 2011: standings][34]
[![][35] ][36]
### [F1 2011: full race schedule][36]
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