While the silly season is well and truly underway for the F1 paddock, there are a number of teams who have no drivers at all. Those teams are the new kids on the block for the 2010 grid. While rumors run wild about just who will be in the first of the USF1 cars, another team has announced a few they are looking at as well.
Manor F1 is also in the market for some new drivers and there is a pool of former test drivers and drop outs that could fill the seat. Max Chilton is one of those names. Max currently drives in the British Formula 3 series and is sixth in the points. While probably not the best choice a the age of 18, Chilton has been linked to a deal due to the potential partial buyout of the team by his father Duncan. Team boss John Booth has not come out and announced anything official, however, the press seems to think that the deal will happen eventually.
The second seat could be given to a more prominent name as Ireland’s Adam Carroll could finally see a Formula 1 race seat. The Irishman has just come off of an A1GP championship and has had some seat time as a Honda test driver before. Rumor has it that Booth is trying to hire Irish team manager Dave O’Neil, who has had some experience as Jordan’s test team manager up until 2005. I think this would be a great pickup for the team, especially after what Carroll had to show in A1GP. It is unsure at this time how valid these rumors are, however as the current season hits the later half of the calendar, we should see the rumors start swirling about new drivers and potential driver switches for the 2010 season.