Traction Control will be axed from 2008

SBS9806J SG

''Traction control will no longer be legal in Formula One racing from the start of next season. The change is just one of a number to the 2008 regulations agreed by the teams and FIA at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council earlier this week.

Article 9.3 of the newly-revised technical regulations states: No car may be equipped with a system or device which is capable of preventing the driven wheels from spinning under power or of compensating for excessive throttle demand by the driver. Any device or system which notifies the driver of the onset of wheel spin is not permitted.

Outlawed in the 1990s, traction control was legalized for the 2001 season when it was felt that sophisticated electronics had made policing the ban impractical. From next season, however, standardized ECUs should make enforcement far easier.

Under other changes agreed, the regulations regarding engine homologation will be relaxed slightly, with teams able to make in-season adjustments to a longer list of components, including fuel injection and exhaust systems.''

From F1 Offical Website
http://www.formula1.com/news/5857.html

Kuali Baba SG

Standardised ECU to be introduced.

Maximum width of each remains the same at 1800mm.

No re-introduction of slick tyres.

No devices which help drivers locate the clutch biting point.

Teams will not have chassis modifications restricted.

SBS9828X SG

Drivers unfazed by TC ban

Formula 1 drivers have come out in support for the FIA's ban on traction control from 2008, but have warned that it is unlikely to shake up the order.

Speaking in the pre-Malaysian Grand Prix press conference, veteran ace David Coulthard said that he believed the ban would have a negligible impact on the sport as a whole.

"During my time in F1, I have gone from 3.5-litre engines, slick tyres and wide track cars right through to what we have today. So honestly it is just another thing to keep everybody talking," he said.

"You will still have the quickest car-driver combination running at the front and the slowest at the back.

"People will talk about it [being] more pure and it is more this and that It is just another development."

The Red Bull star added that the only time when TC may have a noticeable impact is in wet conditions.

"The key thing if we think what may improve the racing is that potentially in wet or damp conditions, it will be a little more unpredictable for the drivers and that has always been the area in which traction control has helped the most," he said.

"I think in dry conditions, the driver has an in-built traction control system and that won't change."

BMW driver Nick Heidfeld agreed, adding that while he was looking forward to the removal of TC from F1, he did not expect it to make a massive difference to the sport.

"I have worked with TC now for a couple of years and it was interesting to do that, but I think it is the right direction to go and I also think it could make the races a bit more interesting especially if you pressure the car in front of you," he said.

"We will see maybe a little more sliding, but ideally we will try not to slide too much. It is not going to be a huge difference, but definitely I am looking forward to it."

Nico Rosberg, who is embarking on his second F1 season, said that the ban was a step in the right direction for the sport, but added that TC's impact on a driver skill had been 'exaggerated'.

"As a driver it will increase the fun a bit to be able to do it yourself, it is a good step and I am looking forward to it although I must say I think it is exaggerated how much people believe traction control makes it so much easier," he said.

"I think that is not really the fact.

"I think you still need to control it yourself with the foot occasionally and things like that so it is not going to make a huge difference but it can increase the fun a bit."