Back

Phil: First of all, sincerest apologies for complete absence of blogs for my part for the last two months. I've been very busy at work and have had a wedding to help organise. As my co-blogger rightly pointed out, I'm fortunate the wedding thing is mainly outside 'the season'.

Anyway, my co-blogger has been doing a sterling job of counting down the days to the new season, although I knew it was time to blog when I dreamt the night before last that the season had started and I'd missed it. Fortunately I realised it was but a dream when I noticed Raikkonen was back (driving a Sauber). As if a half decent team like Sauber would have him back.

All that remains for me to do, I think, is for me to recap the musical seats that normally take place about this time of year. This year there are actually less drivers moving teams than most.

1. Raikkonen is definitely not back.

2. Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes, Renault, Lotus and Toro Rosso have the same blokes as last year. Furthermore, Barrichello, Sutil, Kobayashi and Glock are staying where they are.

3. Lotus now have Renault engines, and will henceforth be known as Lotus-Renault.

4. Renault now have a sponsorship deal with Lotus, and will henceforth be known as Lotus-Renault.

5. As my co-blogger has perceptively observed, this means there will be two teams called Lotus-Renault. To avoid confusion I will be sticking to their old names. To create confusion for humorous purposes I will be sticking to their old names, but the other way round. Said confusion has arisen because since Colin Chapman's death, and perhaps before, Lotus the F1 team and Lotus the car manufacturer have been entirely separate entities, both with a claim on the Lotus name and heritage. Predictably, both teams have been trying to reinforce their Lotusness and claim to Lotus heritage, by bringing Johnny Herbert out of retirement to drive round very slowly at the back of the field for 15 laps before retiring.

6. Williams have replaced Nico Hulkenberg with last year's Formula 2 champion Pastor Maldonado, from Venezuela, who brings much-needed sponsorship millions and also hopefully some talent. Regrettably, Hulkenberg, who impressed everyone with a pole position in his first season last year, hasn't found a race seat for 2011 and will be testing for Force India. Hopefully we'll see him back on the grid soon.

7. Sauber have replaced Nick Heidfeld with last year's Formula 2 runner up Sergo Perez, from Mexico, who brings much-needed sponsorship millions and also hopefully some talent. Is a pattern emerging?

8. Force India have replaced Tonio Liuzzi with Paul di Resta. He's from Scotland so probably won't be bringing any sponsorship millions.

9. Virgin have replaced Lucas di Grassi with Jerome d'Ambrosio from Belgium. They don't need sponsorship millions so long as Richard Branson doesn't get bored with F1. Might I humbly suggest that the home of F1 banter will keep him entertained, even if the championship is wrapped up by August?

10. Almost unbelievably, Narain Karthikeyan is back (the first Indian F1 driver, drove a season for Jordan in 2005) driving for Hispania. I'm almost certain some sponsorship millions are changing hands, probably linked to the first Indian Grand Prix this year. Actually, Hispania would probably take him for sponsorship thousands.

11. There will be an Indian Grand Prix this year, bringing the number of rounds to a record 20.

12. Everyone will be on Pirelli rubber this year, Bridgestone having decided they don't want to come if Honda and Toyota aren't coming.

13. This leaves by my calculations, only one spare race seat left. Unfortunately it's at Hispania, so we probably won't know who's in it until about two races before the end of the season. If they last that long.

That's about all the updates you need, apart from - did I mention? - Raikkonen is back. Don't ask him where he's been, or we may have to post that video again.