The teams keep rolling out their new cars and the F1 drivers are coming up with their 2008 helmet design. Here they are:

Raikkonen, Massa

Hamilton, Kovalainen

Heidfeld, Kubica

Alonso, Piquet

Rosberg, Nakajima

Webber, Coulthard

Glock, Trulli

Barrichello, Button

Bourdais, Vettel

Sutil, Fisichella

Sato, Davidson

Fernando Alonso seems to be getting away from McLaren days and returning to Renault even with his helmet design. Jarno Trulli reduced the shiny silver surface with more red colour over it. Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica keep the designs very close to their 2007 styles.

Kimi Raikkonen’s new 2008 helmet (click here) is very similar to his 2007 one, but the white front has been replaced with some sort of “tribal” drawing. Anyone knows what it means ?

Lewis Hamilton keeps his yellow helmet pretty much unchanged. Heikki Kovalainen had to make changes to accomodate new sponsors the result is Alonso 2007 like helmet. Bourdais keeps his Champ Car yellow and blue with the addition of Red Bull brand.

Both Honda and Red Bull drivers keep the same designs as in 2007. Sutil’s helmet does not look too different from his 2007 one as well. Fisichella is another guy sticking with his traditional colours.

Please check back for updates to this post with more on 2008 F1 driver helmets. It happened before that drivers used different design for the winter testing and came up with brand new one when the season started, so these may not yet be the definite 2008 helmets.

If you come across good pictures of new 2008 F1 driver helmets that are not yet displayed here, let me know. I will add them here !

To see what the drivers were wearing in 2007, check here

F1Wolf

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Two teams used the Valencia test track (not the one to host the F1 race this year) to roll out their 2008 cars.

Although Renault plan their new car launch for January 31, 2008, Fernando Alonso took the new R28 around the track week or so ahead of the official launch. The bridge over the front wing follows the suit of several other teams. Besides the move from V keel to Zero keel there are not too many other technical details available yet, but I must say the car looks quite different from last year’s Renault. Simply said the car looks more rough, more like 2007 Honda than 2007 Renault. It had to be expected the team would opt for brand new approach after disapointing 2007 season but the similarity to 2007 Honda is scary The car (with Alonso behind the wheel) was quite quick on its first day out, about one and half second faster than new Williams (driven by Nico Hulkenberg). The times however should not be taken too seriously. This was the first time for the new cars on the track and the weather was far from ideal.

Williams also rolled out their 2008 car, FW30.

Unlike Renault they have no plans for official launch. We can again see the front wing bridge but otherwise the new Williams seems to be an evolution of their successful 2007 car - FW29. I hope they got the car right. It would be nice to see this efficient team to fight it again with the big guys. Williams ran another of their interim winter liveries, this time dedicated to all their staff, sponsors and partners for the past 30 years and all the fans. Please, keep the dark blue only livery beyond the winter testing season this time …

F1Wolf

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The German magazine AutoBild reports that Aguri Suzuki has sold 50% stake in the Super Aguri F1 team to Spanish billionaire Alejandro Agag. The GP2 team owner Agag has been linked with purchase of Super Aguri shares for quite some time.

Super Aguri run into financial difficulties after their sponsor SS United defaulted on the sponsorship payments during the 2007 season. They managed to secure few smaller sponsors before the 2007 Japanese GP at Fuji but still had to rely on massive support from Honda to keep on going.

The entry of Alejandro Agag into the Super Aguri would definitelly be good news for the Japanese team. Whether it is also good news for Super Aguri drivers Sato and Davidson is a different story. Sato is probably safe but not so Anthony Davidson. Super Aguri repeatedly stated they would prefer both their 2007 drivers to continue, but haven’t confirmed them yet mainly because of the uncertainties about team’s future. Now when Agag may be on board I would not be surprised if his own favourite (whoever it may be) enters the picture.

What puzzles me a bit is that why would a deal like this be done before the customer car arbitration is over and the issue what cars can and can’t race in 2008 is settled. Fifty percent stake in F1 team does not come cheap. Why would someone splash out the cash before knowing if the team actualy has a legitimate car to race with ? Or do Agag and Suzuki already know something we don’t ?

Update: Audetto, Managing Director of Super Aguri has denied the sale report:

“We have had no recent dialogue or an ongoing relationship with Agag.”

F1Wolf

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FIA has been in action again. Max Mosley seems to be on track to impose the budget caps from season 2009 already.

“Starting in 2009, there will be a cap on expenditure for all Formula One costs other than engines, drivers and expenditure exclusively for promotion and marketing. Because of the variety of arrangements, particularly shareholdings, team principals’ remuneration will not be included in the cap.”

The budget cap figure for 2009 and perhaps for 2010 and 2011 is expected to be set after a meeting between FIA technical advisor Tony Purnell and financial representatives of the teams on January 31 in Paris. The Financial Working Group is expected to finalize the details of the regulations before June 2008. Mosley warns of different action should not sufficient progress be made by then:

“If the Financial Working Group are unable to devise a satisfactory method of checking expenditure or if a majority of the competing teams do not agree the proposals by 30 June 2008, the cost reduction measures voted by the World Motor Sport Council on 7 December 2007 will be adopted for 2009 in their entirety.”

That would be the radical measures like the wind tunnel limits advertised by Max Mosley few weeks ago. While I think that limiting the massive spending is the step in the right direction I am not that sure it will work. Teams will be looking for the ways how to get around this especially those in a need to catch up during the season. Mosley is clearly aware of that, therefore the warning. I really want to see how is he going to police the budget cap. Especially when 3 costly areas are left out…

The FIA and the team bosses came up also with sensible proposal not to penalize one engine change per car per season. That would mean that the first 2008 engine change for a driver will not be followed by the 10 place grid penalty. This proposal needs get an approval of the World Motorsport Council and the vote is expected soon.  A rare voice of reason

F1Wolf

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Sometime the helmets the drivers use during the testing season are not the same than those they enter the season with, but this one looks like a keeper. Alonso’s new helmet is a return to his previous Renault design and an obvious escape from his McLaren days helmet.

It also displays 2 ace cards on the back to mark his 2 world titles.

And here is the updated version as seen at the Renault R28 launch, sporting logos of his new sponsor:

I like this Alonso’s new helmet more that his 2007 one.

F1Wolf

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Red Bull team unveiled their second Renault powered car - RB4 - in Jerez, Spain. Same as its predecessor RB3 it has been designed by Adrian Newey.

As it became a trend in F1, it features the bridge wing, similar to what the team used towards the end of the 2007 season. It seems that Red Bull truly gives you the extra wings

The car is quite similar to the RB4. The main changes very likely took part under the chassis. Let’s hope the team has found some cure for their reliability issues.

To remember how the RB3 looked like, here is the 2007 Red Bull F1 Screensaver

Red Bull also yesterday confirmed Sebastien Buemi as their reserve driver.

Toro Rosso team will be starting the 2008 season with their old car.

F1Wolf

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I am out of reach of the internet today, so for the regular visitors a pre-recorded message

The best of the rest, third fastest team on the 2007 F1 grid, second place in the constructors table (after McLaren’s exclusion). BMW Sauber suprised many in 2007. Here is the BMW Sauber 2007 screensaver to remeber the so far best ever season for the Swiss based former Sauber team.

You can download the screensaver here: 2007 BMW Sauber F1 Screensaver

Please check the screensaver tag for more F1 screensavers.

F1Wolf

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And another 10 days gone, we are now only 2 months from the start of the 2008 Formula 1 season. Since the 70 days mark 4 teams launched their 2008 cars. First came Ferrari followed by McLaren only a day later. Toyota did not wait too long and introduced another boring red and white car. The last ones so far to unveil the 2008 challenger were BMW Sauber. They also announced their new partner - T-Systems.

Super Aguri did not launch yet but will do so on February 19, at least that is what they say. What car will it be remains to be seen.

The driver’s line up is close to being complete. Giancarlo Fisichella was confirmed by Force India on January 10. Vitantonio Liuzzi is staying in F1 but as a third driver only. The only team that has not officially confirmed the drivers is Super Aguri.

There are still some test drivers jobs available. Villa and Asmer are tipped for BMW Sauber, Kiwi A1 driver Jonny Reid says he is close the a testing deal in F1.

Prodrive team announced they are shelving their F1 plans for now. Who knows where the 12th team will come from …

Williams team will be commemorating their several anniversaries with 6 different interim liveries during the winter testing season - the company’s 30th year of racing, its 500th entry in a Formula One Grand Prix (2008 Turkish Grand Prix). Williams team will also record its 50,000 racing lap during the 2008 season. On top of it some Frank Williams personal specials - The Monaco Grand Prix will be his 600th Formula One Grand Prix as a F1 entrant, and he will become F1’s longest serving entrant with 39 years in F1. Williams may also be celebrating a new investor with Icelandic money reportedly on the way.

Jenson Button aims for the title, but in 2009. Martin Blundell thinks Massa will win it, and he has a support of one of the competitors in the F1Wolf.com Prediction Game too. Yes, there is first vote for a driver other than Raikkonen or Hamilton.

Ben Evans thinks 2008 will be Ferrari landslide. Kimi Raikkonen said that drivers who think F1 is too dangerous probably shouldn’t be in the sport.

Michael Schumacher said he will attend some races in Europe and he also finally found his place in the Ferrari team. He will be developing and testing the cars. Anthony Hamilton will go to all the races.

The teams are calling for budget cap (and probably already looking for ways how to get around it ). The engine freeze period was cut from 10 to 5 years.

The first official test got underway in Jerez, and at the time of the writing (I am now on the plane somewhere over the Pacific ) it was all about Ferrari…

The countdown will return in 10 days.

F1Wolf

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The launch season continues, BMW unveiled their 2008 challenger F1.08. The team hopes that this car will close the gap to Ferrari and McLaren and will enter the fight for some race wins. The car itself is an evolution of their 2007 car. The low triple-plane front wing is closer to McLaren design than to Ferrari and Toyota. But BMW Sauber seems to be following in the steps of Ferrari (and Toyota) - the F1.08 features the wheel fairings.

The livery already sports the logo of BMW Sauber’s newest partner - T-Systems.

Here is the list of the main new developments on new BMW Sauber:

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F1Wolf

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Friday, April 28, 2006 - FIA president Max Mosley:

“Prodrive have the best combination of financial backing, technical capability and motorsport experience. The team are well known to the FIA through their participation in the World Rally Championship and Richards has experience as a Formula One team principal.”

Fast forward to January 10, 2008 - Dave Richards:

“F1’s new commercial agreement means that Prodrive will not enter the sport in the near future.”

Two years ago there were 22 subjects bidding for the presence on Formula 1 grid. Eleven came from then existing Formula 1 teams, another eleven from F1 wannabies that included among others Prodrive, Direxiv, Eddie Jordan, Paul Stoddart, Carlin Motorsport, Craig Pollock. All the existing teams, including Super Aguri that was yet to make their own F1 debut were granted the entry to 2008 season. The only spot for a new team went to Prodrive.

There is no doubt that such an overwhelming interest in F1 entry was a result of new customer car rules advertised by FIA at that time. The new rules did not materialize, Prodrive had no plan B and so 2001 is still the last season we had full 12 teams / 24 cars F1 grid.

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F1Wolf

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