The new Formula 1? Merged

[Quiggs]

This is just a first draft. Nothing set in stone.

Today the FIA announced that they would make public the proposed changes to the regulations for the 2008 Formula One World Championship. The folowing is a the second part of a press release from the sports governing body, the FIA.

Some suggested objectives
We have prepared a first draft of the 2008 rules with the following objectives:


the rate of increase in performance of the cars should not exceed the rate of improvement in measures to protect the public, marshals and competitors;
the rules and the means of enforcing them should be clear so that everyone competes on the same basis;
the rules and methods of enforcement must be sufficiently flexible to deal with unforeseen technical innovation;
costs should be contained in order to (i) decrease the likelihood of a manufacturer leaving after poor results (ii) enable a private team to be competitive without the support of a major manufacturer and (iii) reduce the performance deficit of the less well-funded teams;
expensive technology which is invisible to the public and known only to a tiny band of specialist engineers should be eliminated where possible;
expensive materials or designs should not be used as a substitute for good engineering;
driver aids should be eliminated as far as possible. In particular the use of electronic devices should not be allowed to replace driver skills;
downforce should be drastically reduced and “mechanical” grip increased substantially for closer racing.



This, then, has been our approach to 2008. Criticism, constructive or otherwise, is welcome. All comments received during the July consultation period will be carefully considered when the FIA technical department finalises its proposals, which it will do in consultation with those teams and race organisers which have indicated their intention to participate in the Formula One World Championship from 2008 onwards. We will also take full account of the results of the FIA/AMD survey of public opinion. Once finalised and approved by the World Motor Sport Council and FIA General Assembly, the rules must be published before the end of 2005 as required by the Concorde Agreement. Thereafter the 2008 technical regulations cannot be changed without the agreement of everyone concerned.

Changes for 2009 will still require two years’ notice (ie publication before 31.12.2006). Thereafter notice of changes which affect the design of the car (sporting or technical) will be announced no later than 30 June to come into force for the next-but- one season (ie a change for 2010 will be announced before 30.6.2008).

Summary of the main changes proposed for 2008

ENGINES

All components of the engine will be controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which has been manufactured by an FIA designated supplier to an agreed specification
The ECU may only be used with FIA approved software and may only be connected to the control system wiring loom, sensors and actuators as specified by the FIA
All control sensors, actuators and FIA monitoring sensors will be specified and homologated by the FIA
The control system wiring loom connectivity will be specified by the FIA
A 3 litre V10 engine will remain an option for teams unable to obtain a 2.4 litre V8, but subject to similar strict performance limitations as in 2006 and 2007

Reasons

to eliminate the use of driver aids such as traction control
as teams will not be able to develop their own ECUs, expenditure on electronics will be considerably reduced
to allow the FIA to check testing mileage and other elements
to keep engine costs low for the smaller independent teams

GEARBOXES

All cars will be fitted with gear ratios, final drive ratios and differentials which have been manufactured by an FIA designated supplier to an agreed specification
Gear changing will only be permitted by the use of a manually operated mechanical linkage to the gearbox
Clutches will only be operated via a foot pedal connected mechanically to a release mechanism

Reasons

to restore control over the clutch and gear changing to the driver
the use of standard gearbox internals will result in a very significant reduction in expenditure

BODYWORK

Downforce will be reduced to approximately 10% of current levels
Drag will be maintained at current levels
Overall car width will be increased
By stipulating maximum and minimum dimensions cars will be “cleaned up” with devices such as barge boards, flip ups, winglets and other small add on parts removed
Total advertising area on the car to remain unchanged

Reasons

to reduce the reliance upon downforce as a means of improving performance
by increasing mechanical grip the likelihood of one car being able to follow another closely in corners, and hence be in an attacking position at the end of the following straight, will be increased
eliminating winglets, bargeboards, etc, will reduce costs as well as the danger of debris on the circuits
drag should remain unchanged in order to ensure straight line speeds do not increase significantly

WHEELS AND TYRES

Tyres will be supplied by one manufacturer appointed by the FIA after an invitation to tender. Such an appointment will be conditional upon :
a suitable supplier being available ;
a suitable system to ensure tyre testing is carried out in an equitable manner ;
no team being disadvantaged by the appointment of a single supplier (detailed regulations will be written to ensure this would not be the case) ;
there being no legal impediments during the process of appointing a supplier
Slick tyres will be introduced for use in dry weather
Lower profile tyres will be introduced
Significantly larger wheels with minimum and maximum sizes stipulated for front and rear will be permitted
Tyre blankets and other heating devices will be prohibited
All tyre regulations will reside in the Technical Regulations

Reasons

a single supplier would allow a bigger safety margin
the absence of competitive tyre testing would reduce costs
as relatively small differences in tyre compound and construction can have a significant effect on lap times, a single tyre supplier would simply ensure that no team would be adversely affected by being contracted to the “wrong” supplier
slick tyres would be re-introduced as a part of the low- downforce and high-mechanical-grip package
lower profile tyres would be introduced in order to give the wheels and tyres a more modern look and also permit more freedom on brakes and suspension
a ban on tyre heating devices would eliminate this significant but unnecessary expenditure

CHASSIS

The minimum height of the centre of gravity of the chassis will be specified
The minimum weight for a chassis will be specified
Energy of all impact tests will be increased
Loads for all static tests will be increased
Side intrusion test requirements will be increased
Ballast will be reduced to minimal levels

Reasons

to ensure that weight is distributed throughout the chassis
the centre of gravity requirement should result in less pure ballast being used, the minimum weight will have to be achieved by the construction of a stronger chassis
by raising the impact test speeds, the static load criteria on structures such as roll hoops and increasing the penetration resistance, drivers will be even better protected than they are at present

BRAKES

All cars will be fitted with brake discs, pads and callipers which have been manufactured by an FIA designated supplier to an agreed specification

Reason

to reduce the cost of continual development of new materials and designs, the FIA specified products will be designed to work on all types of track and last an entire Grand Prix weekend

DATA ACQUISITION AND TELEMETRY

With specific exceptions, any data acquisition system, telemetry system or associated sensors additional to those associated with the ECU will be physically separate and completely isolated from the control electronics
Pit to car telemetry will be prohibited

Reasons

to ensure that any data acquisition system used by a team cannot interfere with the FIA specified ECU and sensors
to ensure teams are unable to send messages to a car and potentially affect its performance

MATERIALS

Limitations, similar to those within the 2006 engine regulations, will be imposed on all parts of the car

Reason

costs will be reduced as research into exotic materials will be unnecessary

[Quiggs]

STARTER

All cars will be equipped with a driver operated starter which is capable of starting the car without outside assistance a minimum number of times

Reasons

to simplify the operation of starting a car, at present it is massively complex
to give the driver a chance of starting a car unaided in the event of it stopping on the track
to reduce the number of personnel needed at an Event and hence reduce costs

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice periods for changing the rules will be related to the effect (if any) of a change on the design of a car rather than an artificial distinction between “sporting” and “technical” regulations. There will no longer be a distinction between changes to the engine, transmission or chassis.

Reason

to ensure that changes may be made to the regulations in a timely and more realistic way

SPARE CARS

Spare cars will be prohibited, i.e. no team may have more than two built-up cars available at an Event at any one time. Spare chassis will be permitted but precisely what constitutes a car in this context will be clearly defined

Reason

by taking one car less to races teams will be able to save considerable sums of money as, apart from the cost of the car itself, fewer personnel will be needed

TESTING

Testing will be limited to 30000km per team between 1st January and 31st December, subject to a single tyre supplier being appointed

Reason

To reduce the enormous amounts of money currently being spent on testing

CAR ACQUISITION

Teams will be free to buy a complete car or any part of a car from another constructor
How constructor’s points are to be allocated will be clearly defined after further discussion

Reason

to enable a team to buy a complete car, or any part of a car, from another constructor. As a result teams will be able to save considerable sums of money on the design and development of their cars.

E.A.
Source FIA

Part 2.

This seems like a huge step back for 'the pinnacle of motorsport design' but if it brings the have-not's in line with the have's, then I'm all for it. These rules seem to be putting alot more of it back in the hands of the driver, and not pit strategy. Especially the limited downforce and the readdition of a clutch.

Edit: Waiting for all the 'this is going to turn F1 into NASCAR/CART/IRL/other spec racing league!!!11oneoeone' bitching.

[johnnyperl]

bitches
if you dont like the competition in F1/cant afford it move to F3000, WS, GP2, A1GP, etc.

F1 should be a championship between car manufacturers, no more branded teams like mercedes, bmw, renault. its afterall a manufactures championship these days, the drivers title is irrelevant. we see this now with ferraris troubles and renaults succes.

Being able to buy a complete car is total BS. that wont encourage technological competition. the championship needs more manufacturers not more teams.

[lightweight]

The FIA has announced its view on new F1 rules after 2008. Of course these are only propositions and not finite results of discussion.

Main points are the following:

-Reduction of top teams budget from $300m to $30m
-Reduce downforce by 90% - Drag at current levels
-Increase mechanical grip with the use of slicks
-Wide use of standard parts (ECU, Brakes, clutches)
-Severe restrictions on materials
-Manual gearboxes operated with foot clutches
-Teams could sell whole cars or specific parts
-Control tyre
-Test limit 30,000 km per team

I agree with the effort to reduce costs. But I believe that with a max budget of $30m the top manufacturers would flee as they wouldn't have big advantage.

But F1 shouldn't lose its fantasmagoric appeal. I wouldn't like the clutch gearchange as to me it seems so outdated. I prefer the modern image that todays gearboxes have.

Full FIA announcement: http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns15044.html

[dydzi]

that's really stupid idea! most of these rules will kill F1. the only idea which is good is the comeback of the slicks

[Quiggs]

Got ya by 10 minutes. Mod wanna merge the threads ersumthin?

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...ad.php?t=15640

[jorismo]

They still wanna make new technical rules, but the team have to pay that with a smaller budget?? It's official: the FIA has gone mad!!

[Coventrysucks]

I wouldn't like the clutch gearchange as to me it seems so outdated. I prefer the modern image that todays gearboxes have.

Doesn't really need "driver skill" to flip a silly little paddle.

Is F1 all about having the best possible cars that even a talentless driver like Villeneuve can win a WDC title in, or is it about having similar cars that allow the greatest drivers in the field to show their talent and win through skill?

These rules seem to attemt to allow a little bit of both.

A few restrictions to allow driver skill to be a factor, but enough freedom for teams to make technological advances.

I'd be more impressed by a team that can work a cunning solution with only a limited budget and testing ability than one that just pumps money at it untill a solution is found.

[Ferrer]

One thing that I find funny is that if they ban flappy paddles gearboxes, and use true manuals instead, what has been the point about the F1 marketing in flappy paddle gearboxes in road cars? I would laugh so much if that happened.

[Cotterik]

this will be EXTREMELY exciting, hopefully race results will depend more on overtaking than who has the most fuel after qualifying, and who pits the most etc. Will this mean the look of the cars will be completely different?

[Homem de Gelo]

These proposals are disgusting and revolting.
There already is IRL and CART.

[lightweight]

Overtaking will come back in the equation, but F1 IS the pinnacle of motorsport. They need fancy gizmos even if they don't serve a purpose.

I think that they need a solution in the middle. Budget about $100 and fancy technology like semi-auto 'boxes and nano-clutches.
What I'd love to happen is make cars 500 kg. Now THAT would be nice. It improves safety as the car has less energy to absorb in an impact. Also it's not technically to difficult. Ferrari put 100 kg+ ballast in their cars in 2004.

[Jack_Bauer]

this will be EXTREMELY exciting, hopefully race results will depend more on overtaking than who has the most fuel after qualifying, and who pits the most etc. Will this mean the look of the cars will be completely different?

It'll be interesting to see what these new cars are gonna look like. Obviously the shape and design of the cars at the moment is defined almost entirely by the quest for downforce, it'll be interesting to know how they're gonna try and restrict this. I'd imagine the ride heights would have to be much higher to eliminate ground-effect as much as possible. There would still have to be front and rear wings but I guess maybe they'll limit them to one wing element on each, something closer to what they have on the current IRL cars perhaps?

The problem for me is that in attempting to restrict aerodynamics to such an extent you will basically end up with cars designed by the FIA, not the teams. The rules regarding lengths and widths etc of all facets of the body work are already controlled to a fairly extreme level (if you've ever tried reading the FIA's technical regulations on bodywork you'll know just how baffling it is!) yet the teams still seem to find new and unique ways to get around them and produce interesting and different looking cars. I guess we'll just have to hope that even with restrictions on budgets the designers will still be able to come up with original ideas within the rules.

[lightweight]

I'd be more impressed by a team that can work a cunning solution with only a limited budget and testing ability than one that just pumps money at it untill a solution is found.

You're right. That's the essence and beauty of competing. Lotus with the ground effect did something really simple, but groundbreaking. It was plain smart thinking. No such revolution has happened these days. Teams are just competing on known solutions and they work on perfecting them.

[Rockefella]

You're right. That's the essence and beauty of competing. Lotus with the ground effect did something really simple, but groundbreaking. It was plain smart thinking. No such revolution has happened these days. Teams are just competing on known solutions and they work on perfecting them.

Not true. Ferrari has mastered the technique of putting a black horse w/ a yellow background and selling it like hotcakes. Just think about the engineering involved!! Phew.