For 2008 the new Formula 1 rules means that F1 cars will NOT be using traction control, and will also discontinue the use of engine braking systems, thus making the F1 driver's jobs a hell of a lot more difficult!!

1. No traction control

2. No engine brake.

3. Cars must use 6% biofuel.

4. All cars will use an ECU manufactured by the same FIA sponsor company.

5. All cars must use a 2.4 V8 or a restricted performance 3.0 V10.

I think it's crazy and we're gonna see a lot of NASCAR style losses of control!

What you all think?

Also note I'm not tired and extremely bored so come on guys take a minute to vote!

I suppose it depends on what you're trying to achieve with these rules. Traction control is a driver aid, and if the FIA are trying to make the sport more about the skill of the driver, then removing this is a good thing. Same with the rules about the cars and the ECUs - if the cars are extremely similar, then the guy who wins, does so because he is the best driver, and IMHO I think that is what the sport should be about. It also makes it more interesting. I know the big teams throw massive amounts of money at the sport making new technological advances, but it should be about the drivers.

And as you have mentioned NASCAR, look at the regs they have - stock cars have to be incredibly similar, and so the race is more about the squishy organic thing behind the wheel.

The mark of a true champion is someone who wins because of his ability - not just because he has the best car. IMO that's what made Michael Schumacher so good, and from what I've seen of Hamilton, I think the same will apply to him too.

I quite like the new rulings. I think it will make the sport much more competitive all round....i hope, which can only be a good thing!

Looking forward to the start of the season, keeping fingers crossed for hamilton! also think there should be a change in the points system that incorporates poles and fastest laps! Would give it a bit more of an excitement factor, especially in qualifying.

no traction control will make it more interesting imo :)

It will just take getting used to the change in set up, remember these guys can actually drive and don't really need the driver aids unlike about 90% of the people on the road that have no car control at all and shouldn't really have a licence. Should see some faster lap times without computers slowing them down.

more crashes can only be a good thing imo.

this should put a bit of the fun back into watching it

The main reason for the common ECU is to cut down on electronic/software-based cheating and level the playing field. Mechanical components are relatively easy to strip down and analyse, software and circuits take a shitload of effort to do the same.

Usage of biofuel is just an attempt at sticking a tree-hugging spin on the sport. The 2009 regs take this aim further (quoted from Wikipedia):

Along with changes to bodywork, vehicle weight and tyre size, the document includes details of a "Kinetic Energy Recovery System", or KERS. This is a regenerative brake device that is designed to recover some of the vehicle's kinetic energy that is normally dissipated as heat during braking. The recovered energy could be stored electrically, in a battery or supercapacitor, or mechanically, in a flywheel, for use as a source of additional accelerative power at the driver's discretion.

Hybrid F1 car anyone?

what he said tbh^^^

did anyone see the begining of the german GP last year, excelent entertainment!

For 2008 the new Formula 1 rules means that F1 cars will NOT be using traction control, and will also discontinue the use of engine braking systems, thus making the F1 driver's jobs a hell of a lot more difficult!!

1. No traction control

2. No engine brake.

3. Cars must use 6% biofuel.

4. All cars will use an ECU manufactured by the same FIA sponsor company.

5. All cars must use a 2.4 V8 or a restricted performance 3.0 V10.

I think it's crazy and we're gonna see a lot of NASCAR style losses of control!

What you all think?

It should hopefully liven the racing up a bit, whatched that NASCAR thing on Fifth Gear the other day and it looked miles more entertaining than F1

bring back the V10 !!!!

Don't the engines have to last an entire season now? That's a load of old bollocks tbh.

you would be gutted if you had a shit casting on the block because u wont have a long season

Sorry I had to get away from F1, as a Scot constantly hearing Button and then Hamilton became very irritating. Don't get me wrong I'll watch it see how Colthard's going and appreciate that Hamilton is a great driver.

I prefer Nascar, motogp, Alms(at Sebring just about to start!), Indycar/|Champcar(just joined together), DTM, Superbikes and I could keep going. I even like the World of outlaws Dirt oval racing and Corr.

I would watch any of these before F1 far more competitive.

Just waiting for someone to have a go at me for the Nascar "they just go round in circles" is the usual..

I do think the Changes will help F1, more raw racing

moto g.p. is my first love in motor sport

grew up watching kivin schonze and michal doen or how ever u spell it

Sorry I had to get away from F1, as a Scot constantly hearing Button and then Hamilton became very irritating.

well if the scots were any good at the sport you wouldn't have that problem

Love the new rules. Yeah you could say it is harder for drivers but it will show who the good drivers really are.

COME ON LEWIS

Yeah I'm bias, but id put a bet on Massa for this race, and Raikonnen is for sure going to be fueled very long, so dont count Ferrari out yet... The BMW's look extremley strong, and no doubt McLaren are on the ball. Interesting season ahead me thinks.

I think its a good thing, looked more interesting in qualifying

Didn't watch quali today but waiting for the race tomorrow.

I think they're going backwards with F1 in terms of technology and everyone trying to create the best they can. In terms of driver aids etc I think its great removing traction/launch control making the race dependant on who's actually better then who!

I do wish they bought back the V10's though and try evenining out the teams by limiting $$$$ spent rather then engines/gearboxes having to last longer.

i think the new rules will make it much more interesting...show what kind of skills the drivers have actually got

Wow this thread is going well. I think it's going to bring more motorsport fans back into the scene due to the amount of chaos we're gona see on the starting grids and in the rain and that, NASCAR is popular for the fact you get <43 cars on an oval track doing speeds of up to 200mph, (or faster on Talladega), and with all the cars driving so close we learn that the smallest driver errors can cause chaos, which people always love to see as long as nothing is fatal. Nobody has mentioned how the new F1 rules are going to act when it comes to a damp race course, the cars are going to be crazy under acceleration due to the loss of traction, and I think we're going to see a lot more coverage of 730bhp cars putting the back end out at crazy speeds. At least with 730bhp V8's there will be slightly more control over the cars than the 950bhp V10's of previous years.

I think it's safe to say F1 is going to be a lot more exciting, challenging, and a hell of a lot more fun to watch!!

Sorry I had to get away from F1, as a Scot constantly hearing Button and then Hamilton became very irritating.

well if the scots were any good at the sport you wouldn't have that problem

David Coulthard,Scotsman

F1 races won 13

Podiums 61

Career points 513 (a British record)

i'm not a massive fan of F1 but i think it will improve the viewing, although it will never match the WRC for entertainment.

so there trying to make it less like scaletrix?

WRC FTW