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The FIA have published the 2008 Formula 1 Technical regulations with the main aim of reducing costs.

The main changes are:

• - New "costly" technologies dicovered by a team to be banned after the end of the season in which they were discovered.
  
  - The rear wing is split in two to make overtaking easier.
  
  - Changes to the bodywork regulations to reduce downforce while maintaining drag levels so as to avoid an increase in cornering speeds over 2006 levels
  
  - Changes to the bodywork regulations at the front of the car to make the car behave better in traffic
  
  - Limitations on possible ?interesting? areas of aerodynamic research
  
  - Minimum weight is reduced from 605 to 550kg
  
  - Engine to be subject to a rev limit of 19,000 rpm, with a possible increase to 20,000 rpm in consultation with the competing teams
  
  - A standard electronic control unit for engine and gearbox to be used at all times in Formula One
  
  - Tyre pressures may be adjusted by the driver while the car is moving
  
  - Wider and slick tyres. Maximum wheel diameter increased to 640mm front and 710mm rear, with maximum widths of 365mm front and 460mm rear
  
  - Restriction on materials used in car construction
  
  - At least 5.75% (m/m) of fuel must be from biological sources
  
  - From 2009 each team may make only two changes of bodywork after the start of the season

In addition to the technical regulations. the FIA is considering changing the sporting regulations to include:

• - three - Event engines
  
  - four - Event transmissions
  
  - weight penalties for early replacement of engine or gearbox
  
  - testing restrictions
  
  - a limit of two cars per team at an Event
  
  - arrangements for a single tyre supplier in 2008
  
  - the date for the opening and closing of entries for 2008.

Full FIA Statement

Some of these make sense but most are just stupid!

"Limitations on possible ?interesting? areas of aerodynamic research "
What does this mean ? Anytime a clever designer comes up with something they'll just ban it ?

Rev limit the engine
Why on earth did they switch to V8's then ? Keep them with a rev limited V10. All that money is now wasted

And I don't like adding weight as a penalty for an engine /gearbox. The driver still suffers

Max you are killing innovation

And sport!!!

Of course of course

the requirement for cars to lose 50kg to cut costs is interesting. A couple of years ago weights were increased............to cut costs

If these rules are for real, Formula 1 will be no more.

If the engines are rev limited and chassis design is severly restricted the manufacturers will leave and we'll end up with one engine and a handful of chassis.

This is not what Formula 1 is.

The sport is being destroyed because of Max

or 2 engines and 2 chassis' and then we can put Ford And GMH Holden bodies on them and call them V 8 Supercars

Exactly Julian. Watch the manufacturers drop until we have two or possibly even one and when that happens F1 won't have it's appeal anymore.

Its damned alarming that that Renault are probably going to take a dive in 08, and Ferrari are struggling financially, (or more to the point Fiat), yet Max seems determined to raise costs

I sure hope Renault don't leave. I've read a few articles about them leaving but I can't believe that winning the World Title doesn't help them in selling more cars. I don't think they have a sports car as such so perhaps they should create one!

And I would have thought with the TV revenue they would break even or perhaps make a profit so why leave ?

Ferrari, well they've spent heaps in the last 5 years and that is starting to hurt.

I think it would be a very expensive foray to attempt to crack the European Sports car market

Graham Ross wrote:I sure hope Renault don't leave. I've read a few articles about them leaving but I can't believe that winning the World Title doesn't help them in selling more cars. I don't think they have a sports car as such so perhaps they should create one!

And I would have thought with the TV revenue they would break even or perhaps make a profit so why leave ?

Ferrari, well they've spent heaps in the last 5 years and that is starting to hurt.

Just as an indication, Renault sales this year have gone slightly down in Spain this year. You would naturally think the opposite would occur. Renault are not in the sports/Luxury business. They have tried and failed. They will try again soon with the new boss, and he did good things with Nissan. But then he has no love for F1.

Perhaps if some of the Renaults looked as if they were cars instead of something from the "Scream" it would help

Perhaps my info is a bit outdated but isn't Renault the company that rescued Nissan and turned it around ? The latest I heard about Nissan was that they are turning record profits!
Doesn't that mean that they have a reasonable amount of money ?

Julian Mayo wrote:Perhaps if some of the Renaults looked as if they were cars instead of something from the "Scream" it would help

They sure make crazy looking cars sometimes but at least they try to be different and not just follow the herd.

I actually think the new Megane looks great not to mention the power!!