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The Gearbox |
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| Regulations restricting the number of gearboxes used by a driver during a race weekend have come under review. From 2008 a driver must use one gearbox for four consecutive race events. Should a gearbox need to be replaced the driver will drop five places on the starting grid. Should a driver retire from a race he will be able to start the following race weekend with a new gearbox without incurring a penalty.
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The Engine |
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 As in 2007, an engine must last for two consecutive race events. Should the engine fail and need to be replaced before qualifying, the driver will incur a grid penalty of ten places. He will be relegated to the back of the grid if the engine is changed after qualifying. However - new for 2008 - a driver will be permitted to use a replacement engine, without incurring a penalty, the first time this becomes necessary (this cannot take place at the final race of the season).
Regulations ‘freezing’ engine development also continue this season; engine innovations are heavily restricted and any alterations need to be authorised by the FIA.
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Electronic Control Units |
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| This year all teams must use a Standardised Electronic Control Unit (SECU) which controls the car’s electronics. The FIA specified and approved system will allow the governing body to monitor all 22 cars more closely.
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Traction and Launch control |
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| The FIA has also banned the ‘start systems’, which detect when a race start is given and ‘traction control’ devices, which prevent the rear wheels spinning if too much power is applied. This new regulation potentially places more emphasis on driver skill.
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Fuel |
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 2008 regulations outline that 5.75% by weight of bio-oxygenate must be incorporated in Formula One fuel. Shell and Ferrari have been working together over the past year to develop a new formulation that meets the regulation but also provides maximum performance for the season.
Race fuel load will still be decided in qualifying and the optimum blend of fuel is vital. Fuel blends need to deliver the maximum power to the car whilst maintaining efficiency and drivability.
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Oil |
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| As in 2007 the ‘freeze’ on engine development means that teams have fewer variables with which to improve performance. Engine lubricant therefore remains an important differentiating factor, providing Shell with the added challenge of developing an engine lubricant that will help Ferrari maintain its pole position.
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Tyres |
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Each team will receive two specifications of tyre per race weekend, with each driver having to use both specifications during the race.
Drivers are provided with 14 sets of dry weather tyre for the event. A maximum of four sets are available to each driver for the first day leaving them ten for the remainder of the event.
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Friday Practice Sessions (Thursday in Monaco) |
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| Friday is an official test day with two 90-minute sessions; the teams do not need to conserve their race engines or gearboxes.
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Saturday Qualifying |
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 Following a one hour Saturday practice session, the one hour allotted for knock-out qualifying begins at 14:00 local time Saturday, at each race:
Q1 – All race entrants can use this 20-minute session to run as many laps as they wish. At the end of this session, the slowest six cars will be eliminated and assigned the bottom spots on the starting grid. These cars may be refuelled prior to the race.
Q2 – The clocks are reset for another 15-minute qualifying session. Once again, the six slowest cars of this session drop out; filling grid places 11-16. These cars are allowed to run any fuel level they desire in the next day’s race. The remaining ten cars have eight minutes to prepare for Q3, when the clocks are reset for the final knockout round.
Q3 – The fight for pole position puts the ten fastest cars into a battle against each other – and the clock. The fastest lap of this session wins pole position. As in the previous sessions, each car can run as many laps as desired within this final, ten-minute window. This year cars will no longer get back the fuel used in this session – they must now start the race with whatever fuel is left in the car once qualifying is over.
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