FIA proposes changes for 2008

The FIA has released a list of proposed changes to the Formula One regulations to take effect on January 1st 2008, aimed at reducing costs and encouraging new teams to enter the sport. The FIA outlined its objectives in a letter to team bosses, including eliminating driver aids, improving the racing spectacle, reducing costs to the smaller teams and to encourage a 24-car grid.

Under the rules of the Concorde Agreement, the FIA is obliged to announce technical regulations for 2008 no later than December 31st 2005. Other changes suggested are limiting the engine capacity to 2.4 litres, banning spare cars, having only one tyre supplier and reducing private testing. A meeting will be held on May 4th to discuss the proposals and final decisions will be presented to the World Motor Sport Council on 30th June.

Preliminary proposals for new rules to take effect on January 1st 2008

Engine

*2.4 litre V8;
*maximum of four valves per cylinder;
*two-race engine (fool-proof method for ensuring this rule is observed, plus carefully calculated penalty system for unscheduled changes);
*list of components which must be made from a specific material and/or using a specified manufacturing process;
*ban on variable geometry inlet and exhaust systems;
*standard ECU (under FIA control)
*ban on ultra high pressure (direct injection) fuel systems enforced by means of FIA ECU;
*maximum modulus of elasticity (stiffness) of materials reduced from 40 Gpa to 32 Gpa (throughout car).

Transmission, braking and steering

*manual gearbox with electronic over-rev safeguard;
*manually operated clutch;
*ban on electronically controlled differentials;
*ban on power steering systems;
*standard brake discs, pads and calipers.

Chassis

*weight limit reduced by at least 50 kilos (to eliminate ballast and thus reduce kinetic energy in an accident);
*a combined tyre and aerodynamic package to be published no later than 31 December 2004 to achieve specific targets for cornering speeds, straight-line speeds, grip and braking performance, taking weight reduction into acount;
*tyre (wheel) width reduced at front, increased at rear to allow weight distribution consistent with no ballast and to give greater drag (total of front +rear widths to stay same).

Sporting

*no spare car allowed during entire Event;
*cars to be held under parc fermé conditions during entire Event;
*one tyre supplier only, all sporting aspects of supply contract under control of FIA;
*drastic restriction on private testing, limited by mileage rather than number of days, enforced by means of FIA ECU;
*two (identical) sets of tyres for qualifying and race;
*Friday practice: package to ensure cars run, possibly to include a qualifying session;
*new qualifying system to be discussed with commercial rights holder (broadcasters), teams and race promoters;
*if qualifying continues to be with race fuel, consider whether amount of fuel in refuelling rig before race should be fixed annually in sporting regulations with amount of fuel in car for qualifying and race free (to encourage fuel efficiency);
*no tyre change during race (except genuine puncture), refuelling to stay;
*consider if constructors' points should be scored by a maximum of four specified cars (two teams) per constructor (to encourage major teams to make cars and information available to teams coming into Formula One, see below);

General

*no restriction on the sale, loan or exchange of chassis and components between teams or to new entrants in the Championship;
*twelve entries to be accepted each year, entries to close on 1 July for following season;
*guaranteed entries each year for teams with long-term contracts to compete in Championship;
*technical and sporting rule changes for future seasons to be subject to a majority vote of the teams already contracted to compete during the season in which the rule changes will apply;
*technical rule changes concerning Formula One to be announced in June to take effect on 1 January of the second year following the announcement (for example, a technical rule change for 2012 would be announced no later than 1 July 2010, having first been approved by a majority of the teams already contracted to participate in 2012);
*no rule changes after entries close for a given Championship without consent of all accepted teams.