FIA Submit 2008 Rules Draft

FIA president Max Mosley submitted his ideas for the new rules at last week's meeting and the proposals were approved and have now been submitted to Formula One's teams and main stakeholders. It is hoped that feedback can be gauged over the course of this month before final preparation of the rules begins on August 1.

The proposals that have been forwarded to the teams are similar to those suggested by Mosley last month. They include:

- the introduction of standard ECUs to outlaw traction control, cut costs on electronics and allow the FIA to limit testing
- the introduction of standard gearboxes, with mechanical gear changes and clutches
-  a reduction in downforce to 10 percent of current levels with wider cars aimed at increasing mechanical grip
- a single tyre manufacturer to keep speeds in check, increase the sport's safety margin and allow the return of slicks
- the introduction of standard brakes
- the banning of pits-to-car telemetry
- the need for cars to be started by the driver without outside assistance
- the banning of spare cars
- a 30,000km testing limit during the calendar year
- the possibility for teams to purchase chassis off rival teams

There are believed, however, to be some new dimensions from the original suggestions, including a ban on carbon fibre suspension, and the fact that it is now written in the rules that fuel tanks must be fully drained after races - a clear legacy of the BAR affair.

The FIA also said that teams must 'provide a means of fully draining the tank'.

Interestingly the rules have been put under a strict copyright by the FIA - which effectively means that those manufacturers hoping to set up their own championship from the start of 2008 will not be able to propose identical rules or even use these as the basis for their series.

A clause at the top of the document says: "All copyright and other rights in the text, graphics, names, trade marks and information contained in these regulations are owned by the FIA."