FIA releases changed 2008 rules...

[Sodemo]

The 2008 technical and sporting regulations have been approved by the FIA World Council and ammended slightly since a month ago.

Minimum car width 2000mm!

Wheels must be external to the bodywork in plain view!

Rear tyres 10cm wider than the fronts!

Interesting, no mention of slicks, but also no mention of racing on grooved tyres either...

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=91693

[Kidzer]

Sounds good!

[Adam43]

The new regs are available from the FIA website: http://www.fia.com/resources/documen..._Regs_2008.pdf

[Sodemo]

Interesting, the wording of the gearbox regs are rather vague to me, it states that gearchanges must be mechanical, well touring car gearchanges use mechanical sequential units, which use a series of pumps and pistons to change the gears.
I wonder if these would be allowed?

EDIT: just realised, the FIA are going to supply the gearbox anyway...

[Pingguest]

Mosley is insane. A standard gearbox, standard tyres, standard brakes have nothing to do with Formula 1! This will be the end of Formula 1 and the birth of the GPWC.

[Pingguest]

I hope and think that Mosley won't be re-elected as FIA-president later this year.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

Mosley is insane. A standard gearbox, standard tyres, standard brakes have nothing to do with Formula 1! This will be the end of Formula 1 and the birth of the GPWC.

Look at that another way - do independent teams like Jordan and Minardi have any place in F1? If they do, F1 needs to radically cut costs.

[Sodemo]

F1 already has "standard" equipment, the fuel rigs, the wooden plank underbody. Besides we had "standard" tyres for many many years up to 1996 and from 1999 - 2000.

I must admit, im not exactly in love with the idea of standard parts, but i'd rather have standard parts than no F1 at all due to costs exploding...

[Don K]

Sorry, I can't find them.

On the FIA site, I can only find:
- a new draft version of the 2008 F1 Technical Regulations (finale version to appear before the end of 2005)
- a summary of the main changes (again, for the F1 Technical regulations).


Haven't seen anything about the 2008 F1 Sporting Regulations yet.

[Kicking-back]

I'm more interested in racing than I am in cars, so I applaud these rules.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Glen

Look at that another way - do independent teams like Jordan and Minardi have any place in F1? If they do, F1 needs to radically cut costs.

Cost reductions are welcome if it doesn't harm the racing and the sport as the pinnacle of motor racing. From that point a free car acquisition and standard ECU (with the possibility to change its configuration) are acceptable.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by The Monster

I must admit, im not exactly in love with the idea of standard parts, but i'd rather have standard parts than no F1 at all due to costs exploding...

I would rather have an elite Formula 1 than no Formula 1, because (almost) all manufactors left the sport.

[Kicking-back]

But Formula One would be better without the manufacturers....

[ss_collins]

these regs are fantastic - I really hope they get through - not only will it make F1 good again but it will supply loads of great copy for me to write about.

[Sodemo]

If these regs go through, and thats a very big "IF", then F1 will be partly returned to its glory days (in my eyes at least).
A time when drivers could push and punish cars and not tear their tyres apart in 5 laps, the ability to overtake frequently, throttle control, clutch control, gear management, all these elements will be returned.

However, I doubt the FIA will be able to force all these measures through, there is always a sticking point. But if even just some of these rules are adopted, it will be a major victory for logic over stupidity.

[Frank_White]

I think that the regulations are excellent. They are true driver regulations. I think that they will move F1 to the realm of motogp. In moto gp, success is more down to the rider the bikes, (N.B. Rossi). In F1 success is mostly down to the cars. Wthout a good car tgf is nowhere. last year Alonso was nowhere. In my opinion why place so much emphasis on the "Drivers Championship" if the drivers are secondary to the cars?

The only way to restore the prominence of the F1 driver is to remove electronic aids such as traction control and special transmission gear changes. Further the removal of the downforce will shift emphasis from aero to mechanical grip allowing closer racing and less expense from wind tunnels etc. Therefore, as in everything in life compromises must be made. There is seldom a perfect solution, but shifting the regs to enable F1 to be more about the driver seems to be the best way to go.

I only wish that these changes were implemented in 2006!

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by The Monster

If these regs go through, and thats a very big "IF", then F1 will be partly returned to its glory days (in my eyes at least).
A time when drivers could push and punish cars and not tear their tyres apart in 5 laps, the ability to overtake frequently, throttle control, clutch control, gear management, all these elements will be returned.

To make overtaking easier, it's not necessary to reduce the downforce with 90%. Venturis are still used in the American open-wheel series. That makes the car a lot less dependent to the wings, which make overtaking very difficult.

Throttle control is good thing. That's the reason I like the idea of a standard ECU. But the keeping the throttle under control will become easier if the engine becomes less powerfull. And that's just what the FIA is doing at the moment.

I consider the semi-automatic gearboxes as a real Formula 1-thing. So, I would like to see the Formula 1 keep these gearboxes.

[chunterer]

I don't understand anyone who suggests that F1 won't be the pinnacle anymore without gizmo's and technology etc... There will still be plenty for car makers to learn about aerodynamics, grip, rubber, safety, frictional losses etc that they can pass onto their road car development

F1 (or whatever it ends up as in 2008) will always be the fastest, most interesting form of motorsport for manufacturers. It always has been.

What the FIA are doing is clearly addressing the criticisms levelled at it over the last few years by ensuring that it has a set of regulations that benefit both competitors (manufacturers, drivers, teams) spectators and sponsors.

A lot of it may be due to the fact that without the fag money F1 is gonna be in trouble anyway, so a more 'appealing, racier' series is bouind to attract more backers because more people will want to watch it again, and subsequently other firms will want to advertise their brands in it.

This isn't an excuse for a rant it's just logic as Monster has already said.

Kick out the horrendous costs, get more cars with simpler to maintain and operate equipment on them and the rest will take care of itself!

[Adam43]

This rule made me smile:

Originally Posted by FIA proposed 2008 rules

6.6 Fuel draining and sampling :
6.6.1 Competitors must provide a means of fully draining the fuel tank.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

I consider the semi-automatic gearboxes as a real Formula 1-thing. So, I would like to see the Formula 1 keep these gearboxes.

Was Formula 1 only invented in 1989?

[ss_collins]

The rules really promote engineering solutions rather than aero or computational - its great.

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by Glen

Look at that another way - do independent teams like Jordan and Minardi have any place in F1? If they do, F1 needs to radically cut costs.

That's right. You can't have it both ways. I don't know why so many make a fuss about standardizing key and expensive components. It leaves plenty of room for innovation and engineering, not to mention that it levels the playing field to a degree. It sounds to me, though painfully slow, F1 is heading in the right direction. We just have to hope that the Minardis and Jordans of F1 can remain afloat until then; I think they will. Also and perhaps more importantly, such standards may attract new independent teams that may be considering the endeavour. The 20 car field is a minimum in my opinion.

[Asa]

If you want limited technology and races won on pure driving talent, then you have GP2, A1GP and Champcars.

If F1 removes the technology, then it has just downgraded itself to the level of the above series. Even F3 will have more technological freedom.

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Was Formula 1 only invented in 1989?

You can't compare the 1989 Formula 1 with the 2005 Formula 1. The standards have changed.

[Kicking-back]

In what way have they changed?

You're just saying that to fit in with your argument.