The last time he switched teams, he was almost driver of the year for Williams in 1999. Perhaps the challenge of taking Toyota to the top, with a competitive team-mate in Jarno Trulli, will push him to perform more at his best, more of the time. It's the least that Toyota's paying him the megabucks for.

Memo to Williams: please give Heidfeld the seat alongside Mark Webber. He's not inconsistent like Pizzonia, inexperienced like Davidson, nor old like Coulthard. He can do a perfectly consistent points-gathering job, and his speed is not shabby at all. It would be scandalous to see him miss out on a top drive yet again.

As one of Red Bull's ordained drivers, with the energy drink company having bought out the remnants of Jaguar, Klien has a decent chance of staying in F1. Otherwise he is likely to get overlooked. Having said that, Red Bull might still prefer the likes of Liuzzi and Allmendinger. Christian may yet be left out in the cold.

Baumgartner wants to continue in F1 in 2005 in some capacity, even as a tester, but even he concedes it will be hard to find the kind of backing that secured his drive this year. Still, the experience he's gained this year will hold him in good stead, should he decide to step down into one of the new junior categories.

Olivier will continue with Toyota in 2005, out of the limelight and doing what he's probably best at these days, testing and developing rather than racing. Instead of being required to inspire the team forward, there's Gascoyne, Trulli and Ralf Schumacher to do that. In a support role, he will be more in his element.

Reports suggest that Cristiano is trying to get a budget together to return to Champ cars with Newman Haas next year. It would be good to see him go back there. It would bolster that series' credibility, and da Matta is more likely to flourish in an environment where he feels comfortable. In F1 he was a fish out of water.

To be fair, Bruni's reputation hasn't been shot down in flames like, say, Pantano's, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get a second chance with Minardi. But, obviously, so much depends on money. Alternatively, there's a range of other open-wheeler categories he could handily slot into, and he'd make a good sportscar driver too.

Unfortunately Pantano now has form, for on-track performances and for bringing sponsorship money. That form isn't good. Not to worry; there's no shortage of junior open-wheeler categories for him to choose from next year. As long as he can find another portfolio of sponsors, GP2 or Formula Superfund beckons.