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1. Jenson Button

Age: 30

Debut: 2000

Height 1.82m

Weight 72kg

Races 170

Wins 7

Pole positions 7

Points 327

Laps raced 8785

Laps led 384

Fastest laps 2

This will be a defining year for the world champion. His laidback approach conceals a thirst for success. Will he be a one-hit wonder or the legend who beat Hamilton? No Brit has won back-to-back titles.

2. Lewis Hamilton

Age: 25

Debut: 2007

Height 1.75m

Weight 66kg

Races 52

Wins 11

Pole positions 17

Points 256

Laps raced 3006

Laps led 797

Fastest laps 3

The 2008 champion has a racing ability matched by few in history, let alone on this grid. Slated to one day join the GP pantheon alongside Senna and Stewart, he has to get past Button first.

3. Michael Schumacher

Age: 41

Debut: 1991

Height 1.74m

Weight 68kg

Races 248

Wins 91

Pole positions 68

Points 1369

Laps raced 13909

Laps led 5108

Fastest laps 76

Simply a legend. Love him or loathe him, you have to admire what he has achieved. At 41, he is returning just for the passion of F1 and will take some stopping. Whether his fervour is the same after a few clashes with young guns like Hamilton remains to be seen.

4. Nico Rosberg

Age: 24

Debut: 2006

Height 1.78m

Weight 67kg

Races 70

Wins 0

Pole positions 0

Points 75.5

Laps raced 3636

Laps led 3

Fastest laps 2

Mercedes has gone from heaven to hell for “Britney”, the driver with the boy-band looks. Once the leader, now not even No.2, just “the other bloke with Schuey”. Dad Keke won a world title and won’t let him go down without a fight.

5. Sebastian Vettel

Age: 22

Debut: 2006

Height 1.76m

Weight 62kg

Races 43

Wins 5

Pole positions 5

Points 125

Laps raced 2052

Laps led 264

Fastest laps 3

We’d never heard of Vettel two years ago. Now the anglophile Monty Python fan has won five GPs. He was the youngest pole position winner and could become the youngest champion.

6. Mark Webber

Age: 33

Debut: 2002

Height 1.85m

Weight 76kg

Races 138

Wins 2

Pole positions 1

Points 169.5

Laps raced 6669

Laps led 100

Fastest laps 3

The cleverest driver on the grid and can be the fastest. Started 2009 with a broken leg and still won two races. No-nonsense Aussie who

really can beat the mercurial Vettel and win the world title.

7. Felipe Massa

Age: 28

Debut: 2002

Height 1.66m

Weight 59kg

Races 114

Wins 11

Pole positions 15

Points 320

Laps raced 6313

Laps led 825

Fastest laps 12

Returning from the Hungary qualifying smash that almost cost his life claiming he is as fast as ever. But even in top shape it is doubtful the Brazilian can handle new team-mate Alonso. Life as a No. 2 beckons.

8. Fernando Alonso

Age: 28

Debut: 2001

Height 1.71m

Weight 68kg

Races 138

Wins 21

Pole positions 18

Points 577

Laps raced 7612

Laps led 1236

Fastest laps 13

Probably the most universally liked and admired racer. Said he wants to spend the rest of his career at Maranello but then, he said that at McLaren too. If things go well they’ll go very well. If they go wrong it’ll be explosive.

9. Rubens Barrichello

Age: 37

Debut: 1993

Height 1.72m

Weight 77kg

Races 284

Wins 11

Pole positions 14

Points 607

Laps raced 14571

Laps led 854

Fastest laps 17

One of the friendliest drivers who missed the chance of a lifetime to win last year’s world title. The most experienced driver on the grid which should count in the new no-refuelling formula.

10. Nico Hulkenberg

Age: 22

Debut: 2010

Height 1.78m

Weight 70kg

Races –

Wins –

Pole positions –

Points –

Laps raced –

Laps led –

Fastest laps –

Williams are hoping the 22-year-old GP2 champion is their future and that he comes from the long-line of Finns that are grease lightening in the cockpit.

11. Robert Kubica

Age: 25

Debut: 2006

Height 1.83m

Weight 72kg

Races 57 Wins 1

Pole positions 1

Points 137

Laps raced 3207

Laps led 74

Fastest laps 0

Says a lot that the Pole is rated by Lewis Hamilton as one of his toughest competitors. Kubica has won in a car that shouldn’t win so will be a potent force if Renault come up with the goods. Tagged by many as a future champion.

12. Vitaly Petrov

Age: 25

Debut: 2010

Height 1.85m

Weight 72kg

Races –

Wins –

Pole positions –

Points –

Laps raced –

Laps led –

Fastest laps –

The sport’s first Russian racer never raced karts and was still racing Ladas five years ago. Is the choice of new Renault boss Eric Boullier after finishing runner-up in the GP2 feeder series.

(Image: Getty)

14. Adrian Sutil

Age: 27

Debut: 2006

Height 1.84m

Weight 75kg

Races 53

Wins –

Best grid 2nd

Points 6

Laps raced 2172

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 1

Better known as Lewis Hamilton’s closest friend but under-rated and deserves acclaim as a racer. Should have finished fourth in Monaco two years ago but was punted off by Raikkonen’s Ferrari.

15. Tonio Liuzzi

Age: 29

Debut: 2005

Height 1.78m

Weight 68kg

Races 57

Wins –

Best grid 7th

Points 5

Laps raced 2121

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 0

Once lauded as the next big thing, he hasn’t lived up to the hype and after subbing for Fisichella last year has half a season to prove himself before, it is said, test driver Paul di Resta will be drafted in.

16. Sebastien Buemi

Age: 21

Debut: 2009

Height 1.72m

Weight 55kg

Races 17

Wins –

Best grid 6th

Points 6

Laps raced 776

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 0

Switzerland’s only racer scored points on his debut last year and out-performed four-time Indycar champ team-mate Sebastien Bourdais to earn himself another season.

17. Jaime Alguersuari

Age: 19

Debut: 2009

Height 1.71m

Races 8

Wins –

Best grid 12th

Points 0

Laps raced 322

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 0

Famously made his debut in Hungary without a single lap of testing. Personable and intelligent, but needs to prove his speed to last the season now he has some mileage.

18. Jarno Trulli

Age: 35

Debut: 1997

Height 1.73m

Weight 60kg

Races 216

Wins 1

Pole positions 4

Points 246.5

Laps raced 10637

Laps led 163

Fastest laps 1

A former Monaco winner who is experienced and as fast as anyone on his day but often fails to shine in the cut and thrust of a race. His experience could be invaluable in the no-refuelling formula.

19. Heikki Kovalainen

Age: 28

Debut: 2007

Height 1.72m

Weight 66kg

Races 52

Wins 1

Pole positions 1

Points 105

Laps raced 2822

Laps led 42

Fastest laps 0

A refugee from Renault where Flavio Briatore almost destroyed him and McLaren where he couldn’t cut it. A nice guy who is being rescued for a second time. Needs to show he’s got what it takes.

24. Timo Glock

Age: 27

Debut: 2004

Height 1.69m

Weight 64kg

Races 36

Wins –

Best grid 2nd

Points 51

Laps raced 2000

Laps led 13

Fastest laps 1

A quality signing for a new team like Virgin because he has twice finished runner up in a race and shown real flashes of talent even though he can be erratic. Missed last two race of last year with an injured back.

19. Lucas di Grassi

Age: 25

Debut: 2010

Test driver for Renault (09)

Test driver for Honda (08)

Making his F1 debut. Winner of the prestigious Macau F3 street GP and runner-up in the GP2 feeder series in 2007 and third twice since, combined with a Renault test role suggest he is ready for F1

21. Bruno Senna

Age: 26

Debut: 2010

Height 1.80m Weight 69kg

2008: Honda tests

Nephew of the legendary triple champion Ayrton Senna, Bruno is carrying a 24-carat surname and has plenty to live up to but the team say they signed him on merit and not because of his name.

26. Pedro de la Rosa

Age: 38

Debut: 1999

Height 1.77m

Weight 74kg

Races 71

Wins 0

Best grid 4th

Points 29

Laps raced 2982

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 1

The popular 38-year-old Spaniard has turned his back on a lucrative McLaren testing contract to return to the cockpit. His record of failing to win in 71 starts suggests it will not be fruitful season.

27. Kamui Kobayashi

Age: 23

Debut: 2009

Height 1.70m

Weight 63kg

Races 2

Wins 0

Best grid 11th

Points 3

Laps raced 126

Laps led 0

Fastest laps 0

Kobayashi made the best of a two-race sub’s role for injured Timo Glock to put in a battling performance that earned him his Sauber break. Without it he would be working in his dad’s restaurant.