Di Resta and Hulkenberg fight for Force India seat
As the winter nights have shortened so too have the prospects of finding a Formula 1 drive for two of the sport's brightest prospects.
Nico Hulkenberg - rated as the best rookie of 2010 - and Paul di Resta - Britain's third driver in Formula 1 alongside Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button - find themselves fighting for a drive.
At the end of the season, Williams released Hulkenberg in favour of cash-rich GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado.
Hulkenberg's sudden unemployment has complicated matters for Di Resta as the German is now closing in on the Force India seat the Scot has been warming all season as the team's reserve.
To add to the dilemma, Force India's incumbent drivers, Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Luizzi, still have ties to the team with Italian Liuzzi contracted for 2011 and German Sutil sitting on a one-year option to continue.