2016 Formula One season
| 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship season |
|||
| Previous: | 2015 | Next: | 2017 |
The 2016 Formula One season will be the sixty-seventh season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, a motor racing championship for Formula One cars which is recognised by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. Teams and drivers will compete for the World Drivers' and World Constructors' Championships.
The season is scheduled to commence in Australia on 3 April 2016.[1]
Signed teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers are currently signed to take part in the 2016 Formula One World Championship:
| Team | Constructor | Power unit | Tyre | No. | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Scuderia Ferrari |
Ferrari | Ferrari | P | 5 |  Sebastian Vettel[2] |
| TBA |  TBA[3] | ||||
 Sahara Force India F1 Team |
Force India-TBA | TBA | P | 11 |  Sergio Pérez[4] |
| TBA | TBA | ||||
 Haas F1 Team[5] |
Haas-Ferrari | Ferrari[6] | P | TBA | TBA |
| TBA | TBA | ||||
 McLaren Honda |
McLaren-Honda | Honda[7] | P | 14 |  Fernando Alonso[8] |
| 22 | Jenson Button[9] | ||||
| Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team |
Mercedes | Mercedes | P | 6 | Nico Rosberg[10] |
| TBA | TBA | ||||
 Red Bull Racing[11] |
Red Bull-Renault | Renault[12] | P | 3 |  Daniel Ricciardo[13] |
| TBA | TBA | ||||
| Scuderia Toro Rosso |
Toro Rosso-TBA | TBA | P | 33 |  Max Verstappen[14] |
| TBA | TBA | ||||
Team changes
- Haas F1 Team, a team formed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Gene Haas, will join the Formula One grid in 2016 after the team was accepted to join the championship for the 2015 season before Haas deferred his entry by a year.[15] The team will use power units supplied by Ferrari.[6]
List of planned races
The following twenty-three Grands Prix are currently under contract to take place in 2016.
.svg.png){kind=small}
Calendar changes
Formula One will visit Azerbaijan for the first time in 2016 for the revival of the European Grand Prix, with the race to be run on a street circuit in the capital, Baku.
- The Australian Grand Prix will remain the first race of the season, but will be held later than in previous years on 3 April 2016. As it will coincide with the end of daylight saving time in Melbourne, it will have an earlier start than previously.[44]
- The Grand Prix of America is set to be held for the first time at the Port Imperial Street Circuit in New Jersey.[18] The race was originally scheduled to debut in 2013, but has been delayed for three consecutive years.[45]
- The European Grand Prix will be held for the first time since 2012 with the race to be held on a street circuit in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.[23] The race will be run under the name "Baku European Grand Prix".[24]
- The German Grand Prix is set to return to the calendar after being canceled in 2015 when a venue could not be secured.[30] The Hockenheimring had previously hosted the race in 2014 as part of their agreement to host the event every other season.
- In 2006, Formula One signed a seven-year contract to run the Korean Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit beginning in 2010. Nevertheless, the race was dropped from both the 2014 and 2015 season calendars.[46]
Rule changes
- Starting in 2016, the number of pre-season tests will be reduced from three to two.[47]
- The process new drivers go through in order to qualify for a superlicence will be changed,[48] with additional restrictions put in place. Applicants must be at least eighteen years old, hold a valid driver's licence for roadgoing cars, and will be required to spend at least two seasons competing in recognised feeder series. A point system for feeder series has been introduced, and new drivers must also have scored 40 points in a three-year-period from these series, in order to obtain a superlicence.[49] The changes were introduced following controversy over Max Verstappen qualifying for a superlicence at the age of sixteen after a single season competing in European Formula 3.[49]
Footnotes
- ↑ The name "Baku Street Circuit" has been used to refer to three different circuits used by Formula One, the FIA GT Series and the Blancpain Sprint Series. The proposed European Grand Prix circuit will be based around Azadliq Avenue.[25]
References
- ↑ "Formula 1 2016: Australian Grand Prix to start two weeks later". BBC Sport. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ↑ "Welcome Sebastian – Vettel and Raikkonen 2015 driver pairing". Ferrari (Ferrari). 20 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ↑ Wise, Mike (4 July 2014). "Kimi Raikkonen says he'll 'probably' retire when his Ferrari contract expires". Sky Sports F1 (BSkyB). Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ Hynes, Justin (21 November 2014). "Force India confirm Sergio Pérez for 2015 and beyond". James Allen on F1 (James Allen). Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ↑ Noble, Jonathan (2 September 2014). "Gene Haas changes the name of his new Formula 1 team". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Ferrari power unit for Haas F1 Team". Ferrari (Ferrari). 3 September 2014.
- ↑ Collantine, Keith (16 May 2013). "Honda confirm F1 return with McLaren in 2015". F1 Fanatic (Keith Collantine). Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ↑ Benson, Andrew (11 December 2014). "McLaren confirm Jenson Button & Fernando Alonso for 2015". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 14 December 2014.
BBC Sport asked McLaren boss Dennis to clarify the length of Alonso's contract and he said it was for three firm years with no facility by which it could be shortened.
- ↑ Anderson, Ben (11 December 2014). "Jenson Button says McLaren-Honda F1 deal worth the wait". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 11 December 2014.
McLaren announced on Thursday that it would retain Button on a fresh two-year deal as it enters a new works F1 engine partnership with Honda.
- ↑ Benson, Andrew (23 May 2014). "Nico Rosberg at Mercedes: German signs new two-year deal". BBC Sport (BBC). Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ↑ "Red Bull Racing to lose Infiniti as Formula One sponsor after 2015". Autoweek. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ↑ "Red Bull signs new 'premium' Renault engine deal". 9 September 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ↑ "Daniel Ricciardo's spot at Red Bull is safe for three years, says the energy drink's motorsport chief". 5 September 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ↑ "Exclusive Verstappen Q&A: I need to prove I deserve 2015 seat". formula1.com (Formula One Administration). 3 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
Q: But is there a schedule in your head of how you break up this time? That you want to achieve this or that in a certain timeframe? MV: No. You have two years and you take this time to do the best you can – always.
- ↑ "Haas confirms debut will be in 2016". ESPN. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ↑ "Abu Dhabi 'on track' with Grand Prix Circuit construction". AME Info. 16 July 2007. Archived from the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
- ↑ Sylt, Christian (24 July 2014). "F1 will race in Azerbaijan in 2016 says Ecclestone". Forbes (Forbes, Inc.). Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "New Jersey Formula One race shelved until at least 2016". autoweek.com. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Australian Grand Prix to stay in Melbourne until 2020". The Age (Fairfax Media). 3 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ↑ "Formel 1 kommt zuruck nach Osterreich". Kurier. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Bahrain: GP has contract through 2016". Manipe F1. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Spa extends F1 race deal through 2018". Motorsport.com. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Galloway, James. "F1 expansion continues with Azerbaijan to join the calendar in 2016". Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Azerbaijan layout unveiled for Baku European Grand Prix in 2016". formula1.com (Formula One Administration). 8 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ↑ "Formula 1 – Azerbaijan Grand Prix debut delayed until 2016". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Reuters. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
- ↑ "Brazil signs contract extension through 2022". F1 Times. 2013-10-10. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Silverstone signs 17-year deal for British Grand Prix". BBC Sport. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Canadian Grand Prix to stay in Montreal until 2024". 7 June 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Shanghai agrees seven-year Grand Prix extension". ESPN. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Hockenheim handed reprieve". PlanetF1.com. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Hungaroring on F1 calendar until 2016". F1technical.net. 3 August 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Hungarian Grand Prix deal extended until 2021". ESPN. 28 July 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
- ↑ "Monza to keep Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix". BBC Sport (BBC). 18 March 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Suzuka to remain on F1 calendar until at least 2018". Autosport. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Korean Grand Prix set for 2010". manipef1.com. Manipe F!. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ↑ "Malaysian Grand Prix to stay on Formula 1 calendar to 2018". Autosport.com. Haymarket Media Group. 29 March 2014. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ↑ "Mexico set to return to F1 calendar in 2015". formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Monaco signs ten-year F1 deal". F1Fanatic. 28 July 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ Kabanovsky, Aleksander (22 April 2013). "Vettel impressed by Russian circuit after first visit". Autosport.com (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "2014 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix". Formula 1.com. Formula One Administration. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ Collantine, Keith (22 September 2012). "Singapore confirms F1 contract extension to 2017". F1 Fanatic (Keith Collantine). Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Barcelona renews Formula 1 contract". 12 May 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Formula One returns to the United States". formula1.com (Formula One Administration). May 25, 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Australian Grand Prix secures 2016 F1 date". Speedcafe. 29 April 2015.
- ↑ Sylt, Christian (24 December 2013). "New Jersey Grand Prix organizers in breach of contract says Ecclestone". Auto Week. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Korean GP dropped from F1 calendar". PlanetF1. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ↑ "Standing restarts among 2015 rule changes". 26 June 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ↑ "Formula 1 superlicence system to be reviewed". Racer.com. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 "New Super Licence points system from 2016". Formula1.com. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.