Williams kick off F1 merrygoround by signing Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg
Both signings were widely expected, but in other teams there remain plenty of potential surprises in the offing.
The futures of big names such as Kimi Raikkonen, Jenson Button, Nick Heidfeld, Nico Rosberg and Heikki Kovalainen are all yet to be resolved.
Related ArticlesMcLaren eye return to topWilliams confirm drivers for 2010Abu Dhabi Grand PrixNico Rosberg confirms Williams exitButton's Brawn GP future unsureSport on televisionButton is expected to stay at Brawn, where Rosberg is thought to be joining him with German manufacturer Mercedes set to take a majority shareholding in the team.
Dieter Zetsche, the chairman of Daimler, Mercedes' parent company, met McLaren director Ron Dennis in Abu Dhabi over the weekend and it is understood that they discussed the strategy for selling his company's 40 per cent shareholding in McLaren.
Also in the UAE was Abu Dhabi investment company Aabar, which owns 9.1 per cent of Daimler's stock. Aabar is expected to be confirmed as the new majority shareholder of Brawn GP soon.
That should free up the purse strings for Button. The new world champion is understood to want a huge pay rise, with McLaren keen to prise him away from Brawn if they are able to do so.
The Woking-based team are more likely to agree terms with either Raikkonen or Heidfeld, with Kovalainen almost certain to leave.
Meanwhile, the sport is preparing to welcome four new teams into the fray.
Campos Meta, USF1, Sauber/Qadbak and Manor Grand Prix, who are set to announce a deal with Virgin soon, are all pencilled in for a starting slot.
Such is the volatile nature of F1 that most within the paddock expect at least one or two of those teams to fail to make the grid for Bahrain next March, with others not expected to last the season.
There also remain grave doubts over the future participation of manufacturers Toyota and Renault, despite repeated assurances from both teams of their commitment to F1.
Date published : 02 Nov 200920:41:34
