FI 2006 Merry-Go-Round

30 November -0001

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Nico Rosberg's addition to Williams' line-up for the 2006 season is just the latest change on the Formula One for 2006.

The 20-year-old won this year's inaugural GP2 series and will now compete at the top level in the team colours where his father Keke won the world title in 1982.

2006 see's some major changes in F1, with three rebranded teams a number of new faces, and with the possibility of more to come the face of F1 in 2006 will have a somewhat differentlook to it

Ferrari

The 2005 campaign turned into a disaster for the team in red as Ferrari and its fans suffered as design and tyre problems saw their dominace ended.

The team never recovered from a dismal start to the season and in August it was announced that former Sauber driver Felipe Massa would replace fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello as the team's number two driver for 2006, alongside Michael Schumacher.

The 24-year-old's best finish last season was fourth in the Belgian Grand Prix, and his relative lack of experience, may cause some questions but their is no doubting his potential which is why Ferrari moved for him.

With 2005 having been such a year of disappointment, Ferrari fans will be desperate to see something more like normal service resumed in 2006, meaning the junior partner to Schumacher, will be required to shoulder a burden of expectation.

Williams

Williams have signed driver Nico Rosberg, son of Keke he will have to work extra hard to ensure he doesn't stay in his fathers shadow.

The 20-year-old Rosberg is not an entirely unproven quality, having tested for Williams in 2002, and with Sir Frank Williams eye for spotting emerging young talent, and he must have impressed.

He will team up with Mark Webber and takes the seat of Nick Heidfeld, who joins the new BMW team.

The combination of two young drivers means Williams should be able to improve upon 2005's fifth-placed finish.

BMW

Next season sees Sauber reliveried as BMW and that is not the only change, as Felipe Massa has moved to Ferrari, his place goes to former Williams driver Nick Heidfeld.

Former world champion Jacques Villeneueve has a year left on his Sauber and is likely to line up alongside him, with Dan Wheldon picking up a testing seat.

Englishman Wheldon is the reigning American Indycar champion, and last season won the prestigious double of both the Indy 500 race and the overall Indycar championship, following the route taken by Villeneuve and Emerson Fitipaldi, both moving to F1 and winning the world championship.

BAR

Last season saw Jenson Button was driving under a cloud of uncertainty over where his future lay as he tried to get out of an agreement to join Williams, and his number two was Takuma Sato who's erratic performances disapointed.

It was no surprise when BAR chose to take advantage of Barrichello's availability, rather than continue with Sato.

With Barrichello forced to play second fiddle to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari he decided he wanted a move and at BAR he will see himself as a serious contender in his own right.

His move to BAR could be just what the team as a whole needs, aged 33, Barichello faces a new challenge, and his presence in the camp, combined with the end of the Williams saga, could make Jenson Button raise his game.