By nGO
April 12 2006

There has been much talk and Speculation about 2008, the mystery of the potential teams, the potential regulations and what F1 will turn into in a few years time during this crucial time of drastic change.

This year we have seen one of the biggest changes in F1 for a long time, every team must use V8 engines except Torro Rosso, and then every team non-excluded will have to use V8 from 2007 onwards. But the initial proposals for 2008 could shake the very foundations of F1 as we know it.

To the limit ultra technology F1, or Limp to the end survival F1?

Formula 1 has always been about the limit, pushing to the maximum, whether the budget, technology or the rules. Never has this been more encapsulated then the Mercedes race campaign all those decades ago, when the race car was very slightly over weight, to compensate the mechanics spent the night scraping off the paint hoping to make the car just slightly lighter so the weight of the car was legal, revealing the wonderful and legendary silver arrows. Recently F1 has been turning into more of an endurance race with heavier and heavier penalties for teams whose cars do not run like clock work for an increasing amount of grand prix in a row. F1 in a time long ago had teams who would field a specific car just for qualifying and push the engine to the maximum, changing it for the race. Now an engine must last two weekends, with penalties if the engine is changed at anytime during or in-between the two grand prix unless the engine gives way during the race. For 2008 even more extreme penalties are being suggested such as penalty ballast for any engine change before enduring two races. Endurance is playing an ever-increasing part of F1 with other suggested rules such as gearboxes having to last for four grand prix. If a driver happens to fall foul of an accident claiming his car in a most destructive manner, he can kiss good-bye to competing in the race as the provisional 2008 regulations ban the use of spare cars. However there is an upside to this as I heard somewhere before that it takes somewhere close to the region 1 million dollars for Minardi to bring their cars to the grand prix, bringing one less car to each venue throughout the whole year could save some crucial money for poorer teams.

Perhaps one of the most controversial regulation changes is the freeze of engine development in 2008, first suggested by Renault but opposed by a majority. Many notorious teams in F1 such as Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW are for part of the reason, in to compete for superiority, achieved by show casing that superiority in technology such as engine technology. By being so restrictive in F1 technological regulations, is there much incentive to compete?

Class of F1 2008 Still a Mystery

There has been a reported 22 potential candidates to compete in the F1 2008 season, eleven of those we can be fairly sure of, but that still leaves another eleven unknown. Of those potential eleven, Stoddard, Jordan, Richards, Direxiv and Racing Engineering have been clarified as five of the mysterious eleven.

The problem is there are only twelve places available in F1 at the moment. likely candidates are Richards and his Prodrive who have grand plans set out and a good pedigree of racing. So too do Stoddard and Jordan, if F1 became low cost in 2008 then we can be sure that they have the know how and resources to compete at that level. Direxiv is rumored to have the help of Mclaren Mercedes should they enter F1, that being true they stand a good chance of entering F1. Racing Engineering is a Spanish team with good racing pedigree, competent facilities and a number of personnel. All of them seem to have the potential to enter a low budget F1, but there is not enough spaces to accommodate them all unless a few of the existing teams now don't make or withdraw their application for 2008. With the improved saftey and other advances in F1, it would be feasible to let 14 teams take part, providing that the Grand Prix facilities have enough paddock slots.

What then of the remaining six?

- We know that there is a second Spanish company apart from Racing engineering by as of now, we have no idea who is behind this application. edit - BCN Competicion the GP2 team is the one.

- Virgin could be another potential, suggesting involvement in F1 in the past. Money is not a problem but the reduced cost of F1 could lure them into the sport.

- Another entry could be by a rich Middle Eastern country, most probably Dubai. Having established a grand prix venue and premiere racing series the country could take the next step and create a team hoping to promote talent in Dubai such as mechanics, R&D and race drivers.

- It would be no surprise to me if a Chinese company submitted an application for F1. China is one of the largest growing economies in the world, and hosting massive events such as the Beijing Olympics and the Shang Hai Grand Prix. The car market has been booming, major companies of china may want to establish themselves, F1 could be the platform to do so, not only reaching a Chinese market but also a global one with F1 racing taking place in every corner of the world.

- Supposing the F1 image changed and became synonymous with such things as fuel efficiency and as a sport working for improvements filtering down to consumer cars. That could potentially attract Oil companies who have no shortage of money. It is not unlikely that major Oil Company could have been one of the remaining F1 hopeful.

- Other entrants could be by people such as Carlin who was briefly with Midland. He has had a very successful F3 team bringing in drivers such as Anthony Davidson, Narain Karthikeyan and Takuma Sato who won the championship with his team. Irvine or other independents cannot be ruled out, may be a car manufacturer lurching in the shadows of F1, or even the rumored team Schumacher looking to get into F1, but your calculated guesses are as good as mine!

What about Super Aguri?????

Super Aguri will have a certainty of continuing so long as Honda is in F1, but Aguri himself has admitted being "Tired" and could possibly retire anytime within the next decade or when the ultimate goal has been achieved. The team may then be dispensed, or the cycle continues where another F1 hopeful buys the team. Sato would be in his late thirties, if he reaches a seriously high motor racing status in Japan, it is not impossible for him to take over or play some executive part in Super Aguri if the CEO of Honda thinks it will help their company should SA and Honda continue their adventures in F1.

2008 is far away, many things can happen in F1 during that time and they ussually do, still one cannot ignore where the sport will be in a few years time with so much going on.

best wishes, nGO aka SuperSonic. Remember to drive safe and support Super Aguri.