F1 team guide

With new teams and the return of an old favourite the 2010 F1 season could be the best yet.

Who's who on the grid in 2010

With new teams and the return of an old favourite the 2010 F1 season could be the best yet. Lotus, Virgin and Hispania will join the grid for the new season, while Sauber will go it alone after BMW withdrew from the sport. And they will find themselves up against a star-studded field - with four world champions set to line up on the grid for the first time since 1999. Reigning champion Jenson Button will partner the 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, while Ferrari have recruited Fernando Alonso. However it is the return of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher that will attract most of the spotlight - with the German set to lead the challenge at the new-look Mercedes GP team following their success last season as Brawn GP. And with the action set to get underway in Bahrain on Sunday, we look at who will be hoping for success in 2010.

McLAREN

Headquarters: Woking, England
Team principal: Martin Whitmarsh
Drivers: Jenson Button/Lewis Hamilton
Grand prix debut: Monaco, 1966
Last season: 3rd (71 points)
Overview: Endured an abysmal start to the season, on and off the track, but managed to turn their year around with Hamilton claiming two wins. With new world champion Button on board, nothing less than both titles will do this year.

MERCEDES

Headquarters: Brackley, England
Team principal: Ross Brawn
Drivers: Michael Schumacher/Nico Rosberg
Grand prix debut: France, 1954
Last season: 1st (172 points, as Brawn GP)
Overview: Mercedes return to the F1 fray after a 55-year absence, and after taking a 45.1% stake in last year's champions, the powers-that-be at Daimler, Mercedes' parent company, are demanding an immediate return on their investment, with much expected of Schumacher.

RED BULL RACING

Headquarters: Milton Keynes, England
Team principal: Christian Horner
Drivers: Sebastian Vettel/Mark Webber
Grand prix debut: Australia, 2005
Last season: 2nd (153.5 points).
Overview: An astonishing improvement last year for the team funded by energy drinks magnate Dietrich Mateschitz given Red Bull's previous best result was fifth in 2007 with 24 points. Expected to again be title contenders this season, with the aim to go one better than in 2009.

FERRARI

Headquarters: Maranello, Italy
Team principal: Stefano Domenicali
Drivers: Felipe Massa/Fernando Alonso
Grand prix debut: Monaco, 1950
Last season: 4th (70 points).
Overview: Last season was Ferrari's worst performance in the constructors' championship since 1993, and a repeat will not be tolerated, not with double world champion Alonso now on board. Questions marks hang over Massa after his horrific accident last year.

WILLIAMS

Headquarters: Grove, England
Team principal: Frank Williams
Drivers: Rubens Barrichello/Nico Hulkenberg
Grand prix debut: Argentina, 1973
Last season: 7th (34.5 points)
Overview: Should have finished far higher last year as their car was better than results suggested, but were let down by second driver Kazuki Nakajima who failed to score a point. With a new driver line-up and a new engine partner, Cosworth, are an unknown quantity, but hoping to seriously challenge the big boys.

RENAULT

Headquarters: Enstone, England
Team principal: Eric Boullier
Drivers: Robert Kubica/Vitaly Petrov
Grand prix debut: Great Britain, 1977
Last season: 8th (26 points).
Overview: Wretched on the track and overshadowed by scandal off it, 2009 was a year to forget for Renault who came close to pulling out of the sport. Now primarily owned by an investment company, with a young team boss and new drivers, the only way is up.

FORCE INDIA

Headquarters: Silverstone, England
Team principal: Vijay Mallya
Drivers: Adrian Sutil/Vitantonio Liuzzi
Grand prix debut: Australia, 2008
Last season: 9th (13 points)
Overview: Emerged as a surprise package towards the end of last season when they captured their first pole position, podium and fastest lap during the course of the Belgian and Italian grands prix. The bar has been raised and Mallya will demand greater progress this year.

TORO ROSSO

Headquarters: Faenza, Italy
Team principal: Franz Tost
Drivers: Sebastien Buemi/Jaime Alguersuari
Grand prix debut: Bahrain, 2006
Last season: 10th (8 points).
Overview: Were never going to scale the heights of 2008 after losing Vettel to Red Bull, and this year could be a difficult one as new rules have forced Toro Rosso to stand alone away from their sister team. Youngest driver pairing means another tough learning curve.

LOTUS RACING

Headquarters: Hingham, England
Team principal: Tony Fernandes
Drivers: Jarno Trulli/Heikki Kovalainen
Grand prix debut: Monaco, 1958
Last season: n/a.
Overview: One of the new kids on the block, and although British based and carrying a legendary name, are funded out of Malaysia. As with any team fresh to F1, the debut year will all be about improving over the course of the season. At least have two experienced drivers to fall back on.

VIRGIN RACING

Headquarters: Dinnington & Bicester, England
Team principal: John Booth
Drivers: Timo Glock/Lucas di Grassi
Grand prix debut: n/a
Last season: n/a
Overview: With the support of Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin brand, the new team have a strong platform on which to build. The car is unique as it is the first to be designed on computer, and without the use of a wind tunnel. Like Lotus, it is all about finding their feet.

SAUBER

Headquarters: Hinwil, Switzerland
Team principal: Peter Sauber
Drivers: Pedro de la Rosa/Kamui Kobayashi
Grand prix debut: South Africa, 1993
Last season: 6th (36 points).
Overview: No longer supported by BMW after the German manufacturers pulled out of the sport at the end of last season, it is a return to the days of being an independent for Sauber. An unusual driver line-up, but a solid mid-field position is within their grasp.

HISPANIA RACING

Headquarters: Murcia, Spain
Team principal: Colin Kolles
Drivers: Bruno Senna/Karun Chandhok
Grand prix debut: n/a
Last season: n/a
Overview: Financial difficulties, an internal takeover and a car completed a week before the opening grand prix is hardly the ideal platform on which to make your F1 debut, but that is the basis for Hispania Racing. As the car has yet to be tested, it spells hardship and potential danger.