Rookies are thin on the ground in Formula 1 this year, with Sebastien Buemi the sole representative. He talked to Adam Cooper about his prospects as the grid's only newcomer

It's interesting sometimes to look back at the crop of rookies a particular season has thrown up. The class of 2001, for example, featured Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya – surely one of the most impressive groups in history.

Remarkably, this year there is just one rookie in the Melbourne field and he's probably chosen the worst possible year to start. Sebastien Buemi is heading into his first season knowing that he won't get any more testing miles to help him to climb what is bound to be a steep learning curve. He has also stepped into the shoes of a man who had one of the more remarkable first full seasons in recent times.

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