The consensus is that the 2010 season could be one of the most competitive for a number of years, with several former world champions battling for supremacy and no one team looking to have a massive advantage … and then there are the changes in rules and equipment to take into consideration.

In-race refuelling
This has been banned for the first time since 1993 and as a result the capacities of the cars’ tanks have increased from around 80 litres to nearer 250 litres. The additional weight will really be a factor at the start of a race, meaning increased tyre and brake wear. Handling will change significantly throughout the course of the race as the load decreases. Pit stops remain for running repairs and tyre changes, and some are predicting they could be done and dusted in as little as two seconds.

Wheelbases
To accommodate the massive fuel load, cars will be wider and also have a longer wheelbase.

Weight
The minimum for each car has been increased to 620kg (up 15kg).

Tyres
Front tyres have been narrowed from 270mm to 245mm to improve the balance of the grip, but to cope with the extra weight of the cars, Bridgestone will be supplying a harder-compound tyre. Two dry-weather compounds will be made available and a driver must use both in the race unless wet-weather tyres are called for. Each driver will be allowed 11 sets of dry tyres per race weekend, down from 14 in 2009, and three of these sets are for practice only and must be returned before the start of qualifying, regardless of whether they are used or not. Wheel covers, which have been used by the teams since 2006, are also banned for 2010.

Qualifying
With 24 cars rather than last season’s 20, the seven slowest cars in qualifying will drop out after the first 20-minute period (Q1) and these will form positions 18 to 24 on the grid. After the second 15-minute period (Q2) seven more will be eliminated, forming positions 11 to 17 on the grid. The top ten cars will then have a final ten minutes (Q3) to compete for the front of the grid. To add more spice, those competing in Q3 will have to start the grand prix on the same tyres and set-up, so anyone stealing a march with soft tyres in qualifying will have to work with the same set-up when the race starts, albeit with a lot more fuel on board.

Points
The biggest change to the scoring system, with race winners now getting 25 points, second place earning 18, with the next eight drivers being awarded 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 respectively. The idea behind this is to reward cars and drivers further down the field, while the seven-point gap between first and second is aimed at ensuring drivers go for a win-at-all-costs approach.

Jenson Button secured his first Formula 1 World Championship at Interlagos, while his Brawn GP team won the constructor’s title. Follow live Formula 1 streaming from Abu Dhabi at www.livef1.net to see if the Englishman can round off his year with a victory.

The 2009 Abu Dhabi GP takes place over 55 laps of the 5.554 km (3.451 miles) Yas Marina circuit, giving a total Grand Prix distance of 305.470 km (189.819 miles). The Formula 1 drivers will have 21 new corners to master and you can follow all the action at www.livef1.net.

The Yas Marina circuit features two very high speed sections, followed by tight hairpins. These corners, turns 8 and 12 – are likely to provide great overtaking opportunities. The pit lane is also unique, as it features a tunnel section. This has raised concerns over what will happen in the event of a car stopping in the pit lane, as it would be difficult to retrieve. Watch all the action from the exciting new track by following F1 live online at www.livef1.net.

Red Bull will approach the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in a confident frame of mind, after Mark Webber dominated proceedings in the recent Brazilian Grand Prix to score his second F1 victory. Robert Kubica was surprisingly quick in his BMW Sauber and you can follow the Pole’s final race for the team at www.livef1.net. Kubica will be a Renault driver next year, while the future of the BMW Sauber team remains uncertain.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel both produced storming drives through the field at Interlagos to finish third and fourth respectively. Perhaps the most impressive performance of the day came from Toyota’s Japanese rookie Kamui Kobayashi. He led Button for many laps and looked like scoring points on his debut, before finally slipping to ninth. Kobayashi was standing in for an injured Timo Glock. Watch the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to see who will be in the car at Yas Marina.

Other drivers to watch out for in Abu Dhabi include Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil. After qualifying well they managed to collide on the first lap in Brazil, with each blaming the other. Find out if either can go the distance at Yas Marina by taking out a subscription at www.livef1.net. Added benefits include live online streaming of other major racing series, including MotoGP and NASCAR.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi GP gets underway at 5pm local time (1pm GMT). This means that darkness will descend during the Grand Prix, making for a spectacular finish. Follow all the action from what promises to be a great race at www.livef1.net.

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel kept his F1 title hopes alive with a convincing victory last time out in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Championship leader Jenson Button had another frustrating weekend and his Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello finished ahead of him to further narrow the gap in the title race. Find out if Button can stop the rot by watching live Formula 1 streaming at www.livef1.net.

Interlagos has been the setting for several memorable Formula 1 title deciders. In 2007 Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen sensationally pipped McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton to the crown. Last year it was Hamilton’s turn to celebrate as he beat Ferrari’s Felipe Massa to the Formula 1 World Championship on the final lap. Watch Button’s bid to win his maiden F1 title by registering to see the 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net.

The 2009 Brazilian GP will take place over 71 laps of the 4.309 km (2.677 miles) Interlagos circuit, giving a total Grand Prix distance of 305.909 km (190.067 miles). Watch all the action with live online F1 coverage at www.livef1.net and discover if anyone can break Juan-Pablo Montoya’s lap record of 1 minute, 11.473 seconds, which has stood since 2004.

Interlagos is unusual as it runs in an anti-clockwise direction, placing unfamiliar strains on the Formula 1 driver’s necks. There are several good passing opportunities on the undulating track, most notably into the tight, downhill turn one. Rain is not an uncommon occurrence during the Brazilian GP. Follow the Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to see if the weather will be kind to the drivers this year.

Vettel will be highly motivated to record consecutive Grand Prix victories and turn up the heat on Formula 1 point leader Jenson Button. Barrichello will be desperate to win in front of his fanatical home crowd. See if either driver can keep their title hopes alive by watching live online Formula 1 coverage at www.livef1.net. Other drivers who impressed at Suzuka were Lewis Hamilton (third for McLaren), Nico Rosberg (fifth for Williams) and Nick Heidfeld (sixth for BMW Sauber).

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli had a strong run in Japan to finish second. His team-mate Timo Glock will be hoping to be back to full fitness after feeling unwell at Suzuka and suffering a nasty crash during qualifying. A subscription to www.livef1.net provides not only live Formula 1 streaming of the 2009 Brazilian GP, but also access to live online coverage of other major racing series, including MotoGP and NASCAR.

Brawn GP’s Jenson Button moved a step closer to winning his maiden F1 title last time out in Singapore by finishing one place ahead of his team-mate and championship rival Rubens Barrichello. See if Button can strengthen his grip on the Formula 1 World Championship by watching live Formula 1 streaming at www.livef1.net.

The Singapore Grand Prix produced a surprise podium. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton started from pole and won the race, while Toyota driver Timo Glock surprised many with a second place finish. Fernando Alonso gave his Renault team reason to celebrate after a difficult few weeks following the departure of leading team members Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds amidst race fixing allegations.

The Suzuka circuit which will host the 2009 Japanese GP is one of the most challenging on the Formula 1 calendar. A lap of Suzuka measures 5.807 km (3.608 miles) and the F1 drivers will have to complete 53 of them, giving a total Grand Prix distance of 307.573 km (191.126 miles). Watch the Japanese Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to find out if anyone can better Felipe Massa’s lap record of 1 minute, 18.426 seconds, set last year in a Ferrari.

The Japanese Grand Prix alternates between Suzuka and Fuji. Last year’s race at Fuji saw Alonso emerge victorious, with Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen joining the Spaniard on the podium. Watch live F1 streaming at www.livef1.net to see if Alonso can record another Japanese GP victory. Kubica will find it difficult to repeat his podium performance of last year in what has been a disastrous season for BMW Sauber.

Red Bull were back on the pace again in Singapore, only for Mark Webber to crash out with brake failure. Despite the team’s competitiveness it now looks as though the battle for the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship is between Brawn GP team-mates Button and Barrichello. Find out which driver emerges on top at Suzuka by subscribing to www.livef1.net and enjoy Formula 1 live online as the season reaches a climax. A subscription also gives access to live online streaming of other major series, including MotoGP and NASCAR.

Nico Rosberg looked in contention for victory in Singapore, only to ruin his own chances. After crossing the pit exit line in his Williams Rosberg was handed a drive through penalty which removed any chance of the young German scoring his maiden Formula 1 win. Watch the 2009 Japanese Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to see if Rosberg can turn his undoubted pace into a race winning performance. Whatever happens at Suzuka the only certainty is that the 2009 F1 title will not be decided there. The battle may yet go to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

The F1 title battle appears to be between Brawn GP team-mates Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. It was Barrichello who won last time out at Monza, although Button managed to finish second which limited the damage to his points lead. Follow the Singapore Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to find out if Barrichello can close the gap further in the race to be Formula 1 World Champion.

Despite the fascinating title battle the main topic of discussion ahead of the Singapore GP is Renault’s upcoming hearing in front of the World Motor Sports Council. Team boss Flavio Briatore will have to defend himself from allegations brought against him by disgruntled former driver Nelson Piquet. The sacked Brazilian has told the FIA that he was instructed to crash deliberately in last year’s Singapore Grand Prix in a bid to help his team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race. Alonso benefited from the subsequent safety car period and did go on to claim victory.

The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix will take place at night over 61 laps of the 23 corner floodlit street circuit. Each lap measures 5.067 km (3.15 miles), making a total race distance of 309.087 km (192.066 miles). You can follow the 2009 Singapore GP live online at www.livef1.net with live F1 streaming of all the action from the demanding street circuit. The lap record belongs to Kimi Raikkonen and was set in last year’s inaugural Singapore Grand Prix. The Finn recorded a best time of 1 minute, 45.599 seconds in his Ferrari.

Both Brawn GP drivers will be confident of challenging for victory in Singapore, but Raikkonen has been in impressive form recently. He has claimed 30 out of a possible 40 points in the last four races. Watch Raikkonen go for another victory with live Formula 1 streaming of the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix at www.livef1.net.

The revelation of the last two races has been Force India’s form. Adrian Sutil qualified second and Monza and finished fourth, while his new team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi also had a strong weekend. Find out if the team can score a breakthrough win by watching live Formula 1 streaming of the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix at www.livef1.net.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber both looked like strong title contenders before Monza but a miserable weekend saw their championship hopes all but ended. Lewis Hamilton provided plenty of drama at Monza, crashing his McLaren heavily on the final lap. Follow the Singapore GP live online at www.livef1.net to see if the defending Formula 1 World Champion can last the distance this time.

Toyota and Williams were both off the pace in the Italian Grand Prix, but Williams driver Nico Rosberg drove superbly in Singapore last year to claim second position. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Fisichella will be looking for a points finish in his second race for Ferrari. A subscription to www.livef1.net provides live F1 streaming and also access to online coverage of other major racing series, including MotoGP and NASCAR.

The 2009 F1 season has thrown up many surprises, and the form book was turned upside down at Spa. Giancarlo Fisichella was the sensation of qualifying, claiming pole for Force India. Although he was passed in the race by Kimi Raikkonen’s KERS assisted Ferrari the Italian doggedly stayed with the Finn, crossing the line less than one second behind. You can see if Force India can go one position better at Monza with live Formula 1 streaming at www.livef1.net. They will be without the services of Fisichella, who has landed himself a race seat with Ferrari replacing Luca Badoer.

Renault find themselves embroiled in further controversy ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The FIA have launched an investigation following allegations that Nelson Piquet’s crash during the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was deliberate. The crash brought out the safety car, benefiting Piquet’s team-mate Fernando Alonso who went on to win the race.

The 2009 Italian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place over 53 laps of the 5.793 km (3.600 miles) Monza circuit, amounting to a total race distance of 306.720 km (190.596 miles). Juan-Pablo Montoya recorded the fastest lap in F1 history at Monza in 2002, circulating at an average speed of 262.242 km/h (162.949 mph). Follow the Italian GP live online at www.livef1.net to see if any of the current Formula 1 driver’s can approach the Columbian’s speed.

Monza has a long history of producing high speed races and close finishes. In 1971 Peter Gethin won the closest Grand Prix ever, with the top five cars covered by just over half a second.

It is near impossible to predict a winner of the Italian GP. Red Bull arrived at Spa as favourites, but had a disappointing weekend. Watch the 2009 Italian Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to see if Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel can get their title challenges back on track. It was at this circuit last year that Vettel scored his maiden F1 victory driving for Toro Rosso.

F1 World Championship leader Jenson Button saw his lead narrowed to 16 points in Belgium, after being taken out on lap one by Renault new boy Romain Grosjean. At www.livef1.net you can see if the Briton can stand the pressure from his experienced Brazilian team-mate and nearest title challenger Rubens Barrichello. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton crashed at the same corner as Button at Spa, after being driven into by Toro Rosso rookie Jaime Alguersuari. Follow the 2009 Italian Grand Prix live online here to see if Vettel can produce a repeat performance.

Live Formula 1 streaming at www.livef1.net allows you to watch all the drama of the 2009 Italian Grand Prix online. With just five races left in the 2009 F1 World Championship the season is building to a gripping climax. Watch the Italian GP live online, the final European race for this year. A subscription to www.livef1.net also gives access to online streaming of other major racing series, including MotoGP and NASCAR.

Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello travels to Spa on the back of a great win in the European Grand Prix in Valencia. The victory was the Brazilian’s first since 2004 and saw him close to within 18 points of his team-mate and title leader Jenson Button. Watch Belgian Grand Prix live online at www.livef1.net to see if Barrichello can claw even more points back.

Red Bull had a miserable time in Valencia, with Mark Webber finishing out of the points and Sebastian Vettel retiring. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen fared better, finishing third behind Lewis Hamilton. Luca Badoer deputised for an injured Felipe Massa and you can watch F1 live online at www.livef1.net to see if the veteran Italian retains his drive after a disappointing performance.

The 2009 Belgian Grand Prix takes place on August 30th, over 44 laps of the 7.004 km (4.352 miles) Spa circuit. Follow the entire 308.052 km (191.410 miles) of racing as it happens at www.livef1.net, the best place on the web for live Formula 1 streaming. Spa holds a special place in racing history. It first hosted a Grand Prix in 1925 and is widely regarded as the finest racing circuit in the world.

The extremely fast and flowing Spa circuit should suit Red Bull. Spa also features the most famous and daunting corner in Formula 1, Eau Rouge. Watch the Belgian GP live online at www.livef1.net to see which drivers are bravest through this breathtaking section of track. The current lap record at Spa is held by Raikkonen, in a time of 1 minute, 45.108 seconds.

Brawn GP and Red Bull will be favourites for victory at Spa, but McLaren should also be in contention while Raikkonen has shown great improvement in his Ferrari recently. Hamilton will be especially keen to win after a pit stop problem robbed him of victory last time out. Romain Grosjean will be competing in his second Grand Prix, after replacing Nelson Piquet at Renault in Valencia. You can follow the fortunes of Grosjean and fellow rookie Jaime Alguersuari here at www.livef1.net.

Spa-Francorchamps, situated in the Ardennes region of Belgium, can provide extremely exciting races. This is often due to highly unpredictable weather. Rain is not uncommon and can soak one part of the track while the rest remains dry. Follow the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix live online to see if the teams will require rain tyres this year.

A subscription to www.livef1.net provides access to live F1 streaming of the Belgian Grand Prix and the remaining races of the 2009 Formula 1 season. The title battle is between four drivers with Button, Barrichello, Webber and Vettel all battling for the ultimate prize. At www.livef1.net you are also able to watch other major international racing series, such as MotoGP and NASCAR.