Musical chairs as Formula One launch season unfolds

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January 16, 2007 Formula One is underway again for 2007 with the launch events as spectacular as ever. Toyota Panasonic was the first team out of the blocks, then followed McLaren Mercedes and Ferrari with world champion drivers champ Fernando Alonso no longer in Renault Mild Seven blue but the black and silver of McLaren. The biggest change is at Ferrari where Kimi Raikkonen now wears Ferrari (or is that Marlboro) Red and has been installed by the bookies as champion elect in the absence of Michael Schumacher, narrowly shading Alonso. Similarly, Ferrari is now favourite for the constructors title over McLaren with Renault seen as a distant third. BMW will unveil its new Sauber F1.07 later today in a live event held at its web site. Renault will trot out new R27 livery next week with the Mild Seven sponsorship leaving, and Williams will show its new Toyota-powered FW29 team in early February, followed by Honda’s RA107, Red Bull and Toro Rosso … with Dieter Mateschitz owning both teams, the party (current form here and here) can be expected to trump them all. If you’re an F1 tragic, might we suggest a new way to get amongst it is the on-line fantasy game Formula One Grand Prix Manager! which gives you the chance to become a manager of your own F1 racing team.