Williams, Force India and Sauber
Before the season started the general opinion was that Williams, Force India and Sauber would be contesting those places that the big teams didn’t occupy. With four major teams and ten scoring places that leaves two slot and so it has played out with Vitantonio Liuzzi and Rubens Barrichello scoring points at both the opening races.
The drivers that have scored the points may raise a few eye brows as Adrian Sutil seems to be the driver that most consider number one at Force India and there was the expectation from some that Nico Hulkenberg would show up Rubens Barrichello this year. It seems that F1 experience may count for something when you’re running on the margin of the points and have to take advantage of what’s on offer.
Sauber are still lacking any points and given their pace in the pre-season testing this seems to be somewhat of a shock, it seems that they haven’t even come close to those first points yet with a double retirement in Bahrain and only Pedro de la Rosa coming home in 12th in Australia. It seems that their reliability is causing them all sorts of trouble with hydraulics in Bahrain and their front wing in Australia (the cause of Kobayashi’s exit).
Given that Renault have now joined this fight with at least Robert Kubica this area of the grid is sure to be hotly contested and with the big points seemingly locked out by the big teams every single point is going to count. Being there to take advantage of a day when the big four trip up like Kubica was in Australia may just be the thing that decides the final rankings in the championship for these drivers and teams.
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