2008 Formula 1 Season - Looking Ahead!

The build-up to the Formula 1 racing season of 2008 has begun, with the teams announcing their official drivers.

The full entry list is as follows:

I Ferrari
1 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
2 Felipe Massa (BR)


II BMW Sauber
3 Nick Heidfeld (D)
4 Robert Kubica (PL)



III Renault
5 Fernando Alonso (E)
6 Nelson Piquet Jr. (BR)


IV Williams Toyota
7 Nico Rosberg (D)
8 Kazuki Nakajima (J)


V Red Bull Renault
9 David Coulthard (GB)
10 Mark Webber (AUS)


VI Toyota
11 Jarno Trulli (I)
12 Timo Glock (D)


VII STR Ferrari
14 Sebastien Bourdais (F)
15 Sebastian Vettel (D)


VIII Honda
16 Jenson Button (GB)
17 Rubens Barrichello (BR)



IX Super Aguri Honda
18 Takuma Sato (J)
19 Anthony Davidson (GB)



X Force India
20 Adrian Sutil (D)
21 TBA (Probably Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA))


XI McLaren Mercedes
22 Lewis Hamilton (GB)
23 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)

The McLaren Mercedes Drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will be numbered 22 and 23 respectivels, as a result of their exclusion from the points.

Here are some things to look out for in the 2008 season of Formula 1...


NO TRACTION CONTROL:

This is a BIG step taken by the FIA. Only Michael Schumacher out of the present drivers knows how to drive without the TC, and he's helping out his mates with it. He did testing for Ferrari (ruling out his return to F1) at the end of 2007, giving important inputs to the team.
With TC gone, buckle up for surprising race starts, where drivers who start well, would get the advantage!


THE NIGHT RACE:

One of the highlights of the year will be the Singapore GP raced at night. Street GPs are tremendous spectacles to witness, particularly at Monaco where the circuit is impossibly tight and close to the spectators, but having it at night will give it an extra edge.

Street circuits usually produce a high casualty rate (read Monaco and Canada), so having it at night in the year when traction control is removed from the cars could produce a dramatic result. And just imagine if it rains...!

ARRIVAL OF NELSON PIQUET JR.

It will be great to see Nelsinho in F1 at long last (though thankfully not at the expense of Heikki Kovalainen). He is the latest son-of-a-World Champion to enter motorsport's highest level following Michael Andretti (son of Mario), Damon Hill (son of Graham) and Nico Rosberg (son of Keke).