London: How do you top a season like 2009? A season that had more gates than a Wickes superstore? Lie-gate, Crash-gate, Diffuser-gate you name it, Formula One had it. Teams threatening to leave the party. Thrills, spills, expensive bills. And at the end of it all a British world champion. How do you top it?
Simple.
Lure F1's most successful driver of all time, a seven-time world champion revered and reviled in almost equal measure within the paddock, out of retirement at the age of 41; plonk him in an all-German ‘national' team recalling the famous pre-war Silver Arrows; pitch them against an all-British ‘dream team' featuring a further two world champions, one of whom left the aforementioned ‘German' team in acrimonious fashion.
Next, manoeuvre a fourth world champion to a revitalised Ferrari, coincidentally the same jilted team with whom the seven-time champion picked up the bulk of his silverware; add a hungry young outfit bullish about finding their wings this term, and make sure that all four teams are separated by the width of a cigarette paper at the final pre-season test.
Then sit back and watch the fireworks. If 2009 will be remembered for action off the track, then 2010 is shaping up to be the mother of all seasons on it.
It might be pushing it to say that any one of eight drivers could lift the title come November, but it is not far off the truth. Each of the big boys has a solid looking line-up and has promised to treat their drivers equally.
Of course, the bookmakers have their favourites. Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, Fernando Alonso at Ferrari, Michael Schumacher at Mercedes and Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull.
But for the first time in living memory, each one of those outstanding drivers faces a severe test from within their motorhome, let alone from without. Jenson Button, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber are no slouches, and each of them carries a rather large chip on his shoulder about being viewed as second best.
It is the most competitive grid in some time. Perhaps of all time.
