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The 2008 Formula One season is the 59th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It began on 16 March and will end on 2 November after eighteen Grands Prix. As it stands, there are a total of seven teams signed up to compete in the championship through an agreement with Formula One Management, with the other four major manufacturers in the Grand Prix Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix. All teams in both groups have two spots each on the 2008 grid. One for each of their drivers determined through Qualifying on the Saturday of the race weekend (Sunday hosting the Grand Prix). The season sees the banning of traction control after it was re-introduced in 2001. 2008 also introduces two new street circuits. The Valencia Street Circuit and Singapore Street Circuit will host the European GP and the new Singapore GP respectively. The Singapore GP will also be the first Formula One event held at night. As of the mid-point of the season, after the British Grand Prix, the championship points standings were extremely close. Three drivers (Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen) shared the lead with 48 points each, and a fourth driver (Robert Kubica) only 2 points behind.
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Pre-season testing
The first multi-team test session started in Jerez on January 14, 2008. Ferrari, McLaren and Toyota all tested their 2008 cars. Williams tested a modified version of the FW29 whilst Renault and Red Bull tested their 2007 entries. Honda, Toro Rosso, Super Aguri and Force India also attended. BMW was not in attendance as they were launching the F1.08.[1] Testing then moved to Valencia on January 22. Renault and Williams were the only teams on the track for the first day of testing. They were both testing their 2008 challengers.[2] They were joined by every other team except Super Aguri for the next three days. February 1 saw testing move to Barcelona. Again, all teams but Super Aguri were in action. The first day of testing saw Kazuki Nakajima crash his FW30.[3] It also saw racist abuse directed at Lewis Hamilton. Williams withdrew from testing on day three to try to fix the problem that caused Nakajima's crash. Meanwhile on February 4, Ferrari and Toyota moved to Bahrain to continue testing the F2008 and TF108.[4]
On February 12 testing returned to Jerez. Red Bull and Williams were the only teams in action on the first day.[5] The second day of testing saw all teams but Ferrari and Toyota (who were still in Bahrain) attending. After postponing their SA08 launch and cancelling testing at Valencia, Super Aguri turned up to test their SA07B interim car for the first time.[6]
Testing Moved to Barcelona on February 19. The first day of tests got underway in rain with Williams, Red Bull, Renault and Toyota present. Nico Rosberg topped the time sheets for Williams. BMW Sauber were instead testing on their own in Jerez.[7] Super Aguri did not turn up despite promising a Q&A with the media. They blamed circumstances beyond their control. On the second day Ferrari turned up and topped the time sheets with Felipe Massa on another wet track. McLaren joined on the final day and Williams finished on top with Nakajima. The final multi-team test began on February 25 with every team but Super Aguri attending. Lewis Hamilton topped the time sheets faster than both Kimi Räikkönen and Michael Schumacher. McLaren continued to outpace Ferrari on day two with both drivers on top and Toyota were fastest with Jarno Trulli on the final day.
Teams
On February 14, 2006 the FIA President Max Mosley announced that all teams interested in competing in the 2008 World Championship would have a seven-day window during which they would have to submit an application to compete.[8] All eleven current teams applied, as well as several others. On April 28, 2006 the FIA announced that all of the current teams' applications for the 2008 season were granted, along with a new team Prodrive, fronted by the ex-BAR and Benetton principal David Richards. There were 21 applications (including the current teams and Prodrive), of which the following were notable: European Minardi F1 Team Ltd, Jordan Grand Prix, Direxiv and Carlin Motorsport. However despite the Prodrive application being accepted Richards has since announced that the team will not race in 2008 due to a dispute over the legality of customer cars.[9]
Teams Signed with FOM
GPMA manufacturers (MoU with FOM)
Bernie Ecclestone has signed an agreement with the GPMA to end their threat of a breakaway series in 2008.[10]
On 29 July 2008, the Formula One Teams Association FOTA was formed at a meeting of the teams competing in the 2008 championship [12] . This new organisation gives a united voice in ongoing discussions regarding the future of Formula One with the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Group. Headed by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo [13] , the first task of FOTA will be to negotiate the terms of the new Concorde Agreement, the commercial contract which governs the championship, with the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone.
New car launches
| Constructor | Chassis | Launch Date | Launch Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrari | F2008 | January 6[14] |  Fiorano, Italy |
| McLaren-Mercedes | MP4-23 | January 7[15] |  Stuttgart, Germany |
| Toyota | TF108 | January 10[16] | Cologne, Germany |
| BMW Sauber | F1.08 | January 14[17] | Munich, Germany |
| Red Bull-Renault | RB4 | January 16[18] |  Jerez, Spain |
| Honda | RA108 | January 29[19] |  Brackley, United Kingdom |
| Renault | R28 | January 31[20] |  Paris, France |
| Force India-Ferrari* | VJM-01 | February 7[21] |  Mumbai, India |
| Williams-Toyota | FW30 | No Official Launch[22] | |
| Toro Rosso-Ferrari* | STR3 | No Official Launch | |
| Super Aguri-Honda | SA08 | No Official Launch | |
* Team started the season with updated versions of their 2007 car.
Notes
- Super Aguri originally planned to unveil their 2008 challenger, the SA08, in Barcelona on February 19 but due to financial problems they had to postpone the launch and replace it with a Q&A session with the media which was later cancelled itself. On March 10, just before the Australian Grand Prix, team boss Aguri Suzuki revealed that their 2008 challenger will be unveiled on March 14th during Friday practice.
- Renault and Honda both started testing their 2008 cars a week before their official launch.[23][24]
- Although they did not have an official launch, Williams-Toyota gave the FW30 its track debut on January 21 at Valencia during winter testing with a livery of former Formula One drivers on the nose cone who have driven for Williams in the past 30 years. Their season livery was revealed at their photography studio in Oxfordshire on March 3.
- Toro Rosso-Ferrari started the 2008 season with an updated B spec version of their 2007 STR2 car stating that their 2008 challenger, the Toro Rosso STR3, was due to make its debut at the fourth or fifth round. The new car made its test debut in the hands of Red Bull Junior driver, Brendon Hartley in Italy on April 2, and was also tested by Sébastien Bourdais. The car made its public debut in Barcelona on April 16.[25] The team have since confirmed that the car will first be raced in Monaco.[26]
Teams and drivers
The following constructors and drivers are participating in the 2008 Formula One season.[27]
† Toro Rosso started 2008 with a modified version of their 2007 car, labelled the STR2B. The Italian team originally planned to introduce the new STR3 around the fourth or fifth round of the 2008 championship,[52] but it finally made its debut in the sixth round, the Monaco Grand Prix.
‡ Super Aguri withdrew on May 6 from the 2008 Formula One season due to financial troubles.
2008 race schedule
The FIA World Council approved the 2008 schedule on October 24, 2007.[71]
† New Circuits
Changes
Rule changes
ECU
- A standard Electronic Control Unit (ECU) supplied by McLaren Electronic Systems (badged as Microsoft).[74]
- Traction control and launch control banned along with several other electronic aids including engine braking.[75]
Engine and gearbox
- Max Mosley proposed an engine freeze for ten years. Later, all teams agreed to shorten the engine freeze to five years.[76]
- The first unscheduled engine change of the season for each car will not lead to the usual 10 place grid penalty.[77]
- Fuel of the cars must be made up of at least 5.75% biological materials,[78] for cars to comply with the European law on fuel composition.
- Gearboxes to last four races, 5 place grid penalty for a gear box change. If a driver does not finish a race, he is allowed to change the gearbox for the next race without receiving a penalty.[79]
Cars
- Improved cockpit protection.[80]
- The use of a spare car has been restricted. Each competing team will not be allowed to have more than two cars available for use at any time. In this context, a car is considered as such if it is a partially assembled survival cell, fitted with an engine, any front suspension, bodywork, radiators, oil tanks or heat exchangers.[79]
Tyres
- Bridgestone will be the official tyre supplier for the 2008-2010 seasons.[81]
Qualifying
- The first part of qualifying lengthened to 20 minutes, and final part of qualifying shortened to 10 minutes. Teams taking part in Q3 will no longer be allowed to add fuel back to the car after qualifying to eliminate 'fuel-burn' phase.
- A minimum lap time for each qualifying session has been implemented from Round 3 in Bahrain to stop cars coasting back to the pits at dangerously low speeds as seen in Round 2 in Malaysia. Both Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were demoted five grid places after the stewards decided that they had impeded Nick Heidfeld and Fernando Alonso. The minimum lap time will be different for each race. For example, it was 1:39 in Bahrain.
- From the 8th May 2008, the FIA announced that, following Super Aguri's departure from Formula One, the qualifying procedures will change. Rather than six drivers being eliminated at the end of Q1, only the five lowest-qualified drivers will be eliminated. This increases the likelihood that one of the midfield contenders will drop out, as only the top 15 drivers will go through to Q2. The Q2-Q3 transition remains unchanged.[82]
Testing
- No competing team is allowed to carry out more than 30,000km (18,641mi) of testing during the 2008 calendar year.[79]
Driver changes
Changed teams
- Fernando Alonso: McLaren → Renault F1
- Heikki Kovalainen: Renault F1 → McLaren
- Giancarlo Fisichella: Renault F1 → Force India
- Nelson Piquet Jr.: Renault F1 (test driver) → Renault F1 (race seat)
- Timo Glock: GP2 Series/BMW Sauber F1 (test driver) → Toyota F1 (race seat)
- Vitantonio Liuzzi: Scuderia Toro Rosso → Force India (test driver)
- Kazuki Nakajima: GP2 Series/WilliamsF1 (test driver) → WilliamsF1 (race seat)
- Alexander Wurz: WilliamsF1 → Honda Racing F1 (test driver)
- Christian Klien: Honda Racing F1 (test driver) → BMW Sauber (test driver)
- Sakon Yamamoto: Spyker F1 → Renault F1 (test development driver)
Entered F1
- Sébastien Bourdais: Champ Car Racing → Scuderia Toro Rosso
- Marko Asmer: British Formula Three Championship → BMW Sauber (test driver)†
Exited F1
Notes
† Marko Asmer also drove in the GP2 Series with the FMS International team in 2008.
More information
- Sebastian Vettel replaced Scott Speed from the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix onwards at Scuderia Toro Rosso and was confirmed as driver for 2008. Team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi was replaced by four time Champ Car champion Sébastien Bourdais for 2008.
- On October 1, Ralf Schumacher announced that he would leave Toyota at the end of the 2007 season. He has since joined the German DTM Touring Cars series.
- On October 7, it was reported that Alexander Wurz had decided to retire from racing.[83]
- On November 2, Fernando Alonso and McLaren announced that both parties agreed to a ‘mutual parting of ways’.[84]
- On November 7, 2007, Williams announced that Kazuki Nakajima would partner Nico Rosberg for the 2008 season.
- On November 19, 2007, Timo Glock was confirmed as the replacement driver for Ralf Schumacher by Toyota.[85]
- On December 7, 2007, after testing for Force India, Ralf Schumacher said it was unlikely he would return to Formula One.[86]
- On December 10, 2007, Renault confirmed that Fernando Alonso will drive for them this season. He is partnered by rookie Nelson Piquet Jr.[87]
- On December 14, 2007, McLaren confirmed that Heikki Kovalainen would partner Lewis Hamilton.[70]
- On January 10, 2008, Force India confirmed Giancarlo Fisichella as first driver and Vitantonio Liuzzi as a test driver. Adrian Sutil had already been confirmed as the team's second driver.[66]
- On January 10, 2008, Alexander Wurz was announced as the reserve driver for Honda after leaving Williams just before the Brazil GP.[58]
- On February 2, 2008, BMW announced that Christian Klien had been contracted as their test and reserve driver for the 2008 season. He will work alongside Marko Asmer who will become the team’s junior tester.[34]
- On February 4, 2008, Renault signed Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto as a test development driver for the 2008 season.[39]
Team changes
- Rumours about the possible sale of the Jordan/Spyker team had been abundant in the paddock throughout the last few months of the 2007 season. Only a year after Spyker bought the team from Midland, Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya bought the team for €88 million, several million more than Spyker paid.[88] On October 24, 2007, Mallya was granted permission to change the team's name to Force India. He also said he would like to keep German driver Adrian Sutil for 2008.[89] Force India had a driver announcement ceremony in January 2008 where it was revealed that Sutil would be second driver partnered by first driver Giancarlo Fisichella and test driver Vitantonio Liuzzi.[66]
- On 28 April 2006, rallying and motorsports technology firm Prodrive were officially granted entry to Formula One when the FIA announced the list of entrants to the 2008 Formula One World Championship. While a total of 21 teams applied for entry, the FIA had always maintained that only 12 teams would be granted entry, meaning only one new team would line up on the grid in 2008. FIA president Max Mosley revealed that Prodrive had found the finances to support their bid. Also, Prodrive's chief executive, David Richards, has experience as a Formula One team principal".[90] Richards has previously acted as team principal of the Benetton and British American Racing teams. However on 23 November 2007, after lengthy negotiations between FIA president Max Mosley regarding customer cars, Richards announced that Prodrive F1 would not compete in the 2008 Formula One World Championship, as the legal situation left no time for the team to be set up.[91]
- On December 31, 2007, Toyota announced that they would end their sponsorship deal with Kingfisher Airlines due to the fact that Kingfisher Airliners' owner Dr. Vijay Mallya wants to focus on the new F1 team Force India which was formed after Dr. Mallya's 2007 acquisition of Spyker F1 team. Although the team had a two year deal with the Indian airline company, both parties agreed to terminate the deal by 'mutual consent'.[92]
- During the 2008 season on May 6, the Super Aguri team folded and withdrew from Formula One. The team was in dire financial straits at the end of 2007 as the team did not receive a payment on a sponsorship deal.[93] This has led to them becoming the poorest team in Formula One. Super Aguri rejected a buyout offer in January 2008 from an Indian consortium led by the CEO of the Spice Group on the condition Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan drove in the line-up, because it meant demoting or cutting one of the team's 2007 drivers.[94] Despite this Super Aguri have been unable to sign any contracts until agreements have been reached with their sponsors.[95] Sato and Davidson were confirmed on 10 March[63].
GP2 series driver Luca Filippi was linked to race for the team in 2008, however he instead stayed with the GP2 series for 2008. Super Aguri announced that a major deal had been made with Magma Group to solve the team's financial problems, however this fell through, supposedly because of Magma Group's unwillingness to invest money in a team with poor results. On 6 May 2008, Super Aguri withdrew from the Formula 1 World Championship.[96] It affirmed a prediction at the start of the season by Max Mosley saying the team would not make it to the final race in Brazil.[97]
Race changes
