Salome Phelamei
Most of us have been eagerly waiting for a brand new Formula One season. The Australian Grand Prix will provide the lovers of this adrenaline pumping sport with all the excitement and cold waves.
This year has a `new` team, new drivers, new circuits and some new rules. Who will be this year’s champion? Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton? Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa? The phoney war of winter testing also saw Kazuki Nakajima crash his FW30 and racist abuse hurled at Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona, but now is the real thing. With all the eleven teams signed to compete, the 2008 Formula One season takes off at Melbourne’s Albert Park in Australia on March 16 and ends on the 2nd of November in Brazil after 18 Grand Prix to that of 17 races in 2007. F1 newcomer Singapore will be the one to stage night Grand Prix in September this year.
The team to beat will be last year`s winners Ferrari. The most striking feature for this season is the fact that the top three drivers of last season - Raikkonen, Hamilton and Alonso are with different teams - Ferrari, McLaren and Renault, respectively. A thrilling three-way race with Massa providing another attractive fourth angle can be a perfect sequel to the 2007 season that went all the way to the wire.
BMW is aiming for nothing less than a first GP victory from their drivers and Red Bull must be having podium finishes in their sight. Japanese manufacturers Toyota and Honda want right seasons, while Toro Rosso, Super Aguri will aim not to finish last. F1 also welcomes the gold, tungsten, and white car of tycoon Vijay Mallya backed Force India, (which replaces Spyker) making its debut with a budget of USD 120 million as it looks ahead to a modest racing season. Veteran Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and Germany`s Adrian Sutil are behind the wheels for Mallya’s team.
India became hooked to Formula 1 when home-grown Narain Karthikeyan got behind the wheels for Jordan in 2005 and test drove with Williams over the past two years, where he remains this year too. The best part of the season is the introduction of a standard Engine Control Unit (ECU). So get glued to the television sets and watch the engines burn the tracks with their performance in an exciting, action-packed and enthralling season that kicks off Down Under at the Albert Park.
Some rule changes for the season
- For the seasons 2008-2010, Bridgestone will be the official tyre supplier.
- All cars have a standard Electronic Control Unit (ECU) controlling the engine, gearbox and clutch and designed by McLaren Electronic Systems and Microsoft. Perhaps certain teams claim the unit could give McLaren an early advantage as makers of the system.
- Traction control banned along with several other so-called ‘driver aids’-a concern for safety reasons especially in the wet.
- Gearboxes to last 4 races, any unscheduled replacement will incur a five-place penalty on the starting grid at that event.
- Drivers are allowed one `free` engine change to their car without the normal 10-place penalty on the starting grid.
- The first stage of qualifying will last 20 minutes, the second 15 and the final phase with 10 cars has been shortened to 10 minutes.
- Engines to last for two successive races. Any unscheduled change, other than the first, will incur a 10-place penalty as before.
- Spare cars are restricted to each team at any one time at a GP.
- At least 5.75% of the fuel must be derived from biological sources.
