Grosjean replaced Nelson Piquet Jr last year in the Renault Formula 1 team after the famous Nelsinhogate controversy. Grosjean struggled to join the big boys mid season without proper testing and did not get anothe chance at Renault this year. There is no doubt in my mind though that Grosjean is a real talent that really deserves a real shot at Formula 1.

His career CV speaks for itself: Formula Lista Junior champion and Swiss Formula Renault 1.6 champion in 2003, French Formula Renault 2.0 champion in 2005, European Formula 3 champion in 2007 and Asian GP2 champion in 2008.

This year Romain Grosjean has been racing both single seaters and GT cars. He started off the year driving a Ford GT for Matech Competition in the newly formed FIA GT1 World Championship. He then parted ways with the team, after winning two races in ten starts, and has made appearances in both Auto GP and in GP2. In Auto GP he was directly a winner when he joined the series at Spa-Francorchamps and he also won a race at Magny Cours. His GP2 comeback was a little harder but he was up to speed in his second outing at Spa where he finished on the podium in the feature race.

2009 will also mark the return of two of Sweden’s once most promising young drivers.

Fredrik Larsson will drive for IPS Motorsport. The former Swedish karting champion and Junior Formula Ford champion tried his luck in America during the nineties. After winning the Barber Dodge Pro championship in 1996 he went on to race in the Indy Lights championship for Stefan Johansson Motorsport in 1997 and managed two podium finishes in his nine starts. But after his Indy Lights campaign Fredrik went back to Sweden and did not pursue a further career in racing. A couple of years ago he began looking at a return to racing in the Carrera Cup championship, but it’s not until now it has been possible. Eventhough it’s been a good while since he was racing Fredrik Larsson is aiming for the medals in 2009.

The second noteworthy comeback comes from karting ace Milton Ryttarbris. The 35-year old has a very impressing CV in karting behind him running in Formula C and ICC karting during the majority of the nineties and well into the 2000′s. Highlights include third place in the Hong Kong Grand Prix, second in the European Formula K championship, sixth in the World Championship in Formula C, sixth in the European Formula A championship, third in the European Formula C championship and Italian Open Masters champion in Formula C.

Danica Patrick raced for the team in the 2006 event (but then under the Howard-Boss banner).

Team manager Richard Childress comments:
“We think we’ve got a real good package, running with Richard Howard and Max Crawford, We’ve got a great driver lineup. Danica will do a real good job here. She’s a great road racer, and we’re excited to have her in the car. Casey’s really excited. He won this race three years ago with Chip Ganassi, and he called me and said, ‘If you’ve got a seat, put me in.’”

“I am very happy to stay with the Signature team for this new challenge. We have enjoyed a successful collaboration for some time now and I am delighted to be able to continue it into the future. The world of sportscar racing is completely new to me though, so I will have a lot to learn. However, I’m fortunate to have a great time behind me and also a great team mate in Pierre Ragues.”

“We are pleased to have found in Rahal Letterman Racing a professional, well integrated partner with great experience in US motorsport,” commented BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “The Formula BMW races held in support of the ALMS will generate synergy effects in terms of PR, marketing and logistics. Lapwing Management already set the bar high last year as far as the organization of the series is concerned, and we thank them warmly for their work. The concept is also proving a success from a sporting perspective, as demonstrated not least by Alexander Rossi. The US driver recently backed up his Formula BMW Americas title triumph with victory in the Formula BMW World Final. We are hoping that the expansion of the race calendar into Mexico as part of the World Touring Car Championship event there will further increase interest from all the Americas in the line-up for 2009.”

This means that the ALMS and IndyCar double header that was scheduled for September 5 and 6 will be off.

Dirk Müller finished second this season in the GT2 class driving a Ferrari F430 but Müller’s involvement with BMW goes back to 2002 when he debuted for Team Schnitzer in the European Touring Car Championship. Müller’s European touring car career with Schnitzer ended after the 2006 WTCC season. The 2005 vice-champion will probably not feel too uncomfortable in a BMW M3 as he’s won the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in one.

Tom Milner raced for the Panoz GT2 team in ALMS this year but did run the Rahal Letterman Racing Aston Martin DB9 in the Speed World Challenge GT championship.

The two drivers will join Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand at the team.

“With the high level of competition already established in the ALMS GT2 class, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team is moving into a very fast lane,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsports Manager. “Previous BMW M3 and ALMS GT racing experience were critical parameters in our driver selection process. The addition of Tommy Milner and Dirk Müller to Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand gives us a highly qualified driver lineup.”

Up to eight customer cars will during 2009 compete in different championship around Europe and in the legendary 24 Hours race at Nürburgring.

Here are a few photos of the new beast:

The first private tests of the new LMP1 prototype are scheduled for later this year and the car will only be presented to the public immediately before the race at Sebring, in preparation for the three car assault in the 24 Hours of Le Mans later in the year.