2005 Season

The 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship is the 59th season of Formula One motor racing, the 56th World Championship, contested over a then-record 19 Grands Prix. Michael Schumacher and Ferrari are the defending World Drivers’ and Constructors’ champions.

Driver changes

The most sweeping driver market reshuffle in years sends ripples through several teams. Renault swap Giancarlo Fisichella in and Jacques Villeneuve out: Fisichella arrives from Sauber, while Villeneuve moves to that same Sauber seat. Fisichella partners returning champion Fernando Alonso.

Williams field an entirely new driver line-up. Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher have both departed: Montoya moves to McLaren, taking David Coulthard’s seat, while Ralf Schumacher signs for Toyota. In their place, Williams sign Mark Webber from the now-defunct Jaguar team and Nick Heidfeld from Jordan.

Coulthard, freed from McLaren, joins the new Red Bull Racing team alongside Christian Klien, the 2004 Jaguar driver. Vitantonio Liuzzi is also contracted to share the second Red Bull race seat with Klien for part of the season.

Toyota’s new pairing is Jarno Trulli — who switches from Renault — alongside Ralf Schumacher. Ricardo Zonta, who raced for Toyota in five of the final six races of 2004, returns to a third driver role. Olivier Panis, who drove seventeen of eighteen races for Toyota in 2004, is retained as advisor and test driver. Cristiano da Matta, who started the 2004 season with Toyota, returns to Champ Car.

Jordan field two Formula One debutants: Tiago Monteiro, formerly a Minardi test driver, and Narain Karthikeyan, the first Indian driver on the Formula One grid. Both competed in the 2004 World Series by Nissan. Timo Glock, who raced for Jordan at the end of 2004, switches to Champ Car. Giorgio Pantano, who drove most of the 2004 season for Jordan, leaves Formula One altogether for the inaugural GP2 Series season.

Minardi also run two debutants: Patrick Friesacher, from International Formula 3000, and Christijan Albers, from DTM. The pair replace Gianmaria Bruni, who joins the GP2 Series, and Zsolt Baumgartner.

Team changes

Red Bull GmbH’s takeover of the Jaguar team is complete, and the squad races for the first time as Red Bull Racing. The team runs Cosworth engines.

Jordan Grand Prix has been purchased by the Midland Group, although the team continues to race under the Jordan name until 2006.

Sauber switches from Bridgestone to Michelin tyres over the winter, further distancing themselves from their previous association with Ferrari.

Calendar

The calendar grows to 19 races, a new record. The Turkish Grand Prix joins the schedule for the first time, slotted in after the Hungarian Grand Prix on 21 August at the newly built Istanbul Park circuit.

The Brazilian Grand Prix is moved to late September. As a result, the Chinese Grand Prix becomes the season finale.

Regulation changes

The most significant change is the ban on tyre changes during pit stops. Each driver must use one set of tyres from qualifying through to the end of the race. Tyre changes are permitted only for punctures or under a formal FIA wet-weather declaration. Preserving a single set across a full race distance becomes a new strategic and technical challenge; tyre manufacturers must produce more durable compounds.

Engines must now last two race weekends. A driver who requires an engine change receives a ten-place grid penalty. The regulation is designed to reduce costs and limit revs and power outputs. Following the opening race in Australia, the FIA closes a loophole that allowed teams to avoid the rule by deliberately retiring their cars before the finish.

The aerodynamic regulations are revised to improve overtaking. Front wings are raised 5 cm to reduce downforce; rear wings are moved 15 cm forward relative to the centre line between the rear wheels. Teams are expected to develop other innovations in response.

A new qualifying format replaces the single-lap format used in 2004. For the opening races of the season, grid position is determined by the aggregate of two single-lap runs: one on Saturday afternoon and one on Sunday morning. Cars must be fuelled for the race for the Sunday session. Adverse weather conditions affecting either session affects the final aggregate time.

This is the final season using the 3.0-litre V10 engine configuration. A 2.4-litre V8 formula takes effect from 2006.

Pre-season testing

Renault appeared the fastest team in pre-season testing, suggesting they will be the early favourites to challenge defending champions Ferrari.