Regulations

Here is brief description of FIA regulations regarding F1 championship in 2008 season. For knowing in detail about these regulations, you could visit the other pages of this section.

Car Livery
Teams are allowed to run two cars with the same race specifications in a season. However, before any major changes, they have to take prior approval. The cars must carry the driver's race number and it should be visible from the front of the car. The team's name or emblem must also be clearly visible. On the first car the onboard cameras should be fluorescent red while on the other car, it should fluorescent yellow.

Classification
Any driver who completed minimum 90 per cent of the race distance will be classified. If a driver has stopped before the full distance and a result is declared, the classification will be based on the race order at the end of the lap two laps prior to it. An example would make it clear. If a race is stopped on lap 50, the classification will be decided as it was at the end of lap 48.

Driver Changes
Teams are allowed to employ up to four drivers during a season. With the prior permission of the stewards, a driver change may be made any time before qualifying. In the practice sessions on Friday, the teams may run additional drivers. However, the teams are limited to two cars.

Driver Penalty
Offencing drivers attract penalties. Offences committed by drivers include causing an avoidable accident, unfairly blocking another driver, jumping the start, speeding in the pit lane etc. Two common penalties awarded to the drivers are the drive-through penalty and the ten-second time penalty. If awarded drive-through penalty, the driver has to enter the pits, drive through the pit lane at the pit-lane speed limit and rejoin the race without stopping. In the latter, the driver has to stop for ten seconds at his pit before rejoining the race. If an offence is more serious, the driver is forced to drop ten grid positions at the next Grand Prix.

Parc Ferme
Parc Ferme is the area where the checks are made on the car. The cars are deemed to be under parc ferme conditions from the time they first exit the pits during qualifying until the start of the formation lap immediately prior to the race.

Refueling
While practice, refuelling is allowed only in a team's garage area or in the FIA garage. During qualifying and the race, race-refuelling systems may only be used in the pit lane. The driver can leave the engine switched on. All personnel near the car must wear protective fire-resistant clothing. A personnel carrying a suitable fire extinguisher must be beside the car when it is being refuelled.

Scrutineering and Weighing
The cars can be checked at any point during a Grand Prix weekend to ensure that they are complying with technical and safety regulations. A car cannot participate in the event until it has passed scrutineering. The cars have also comply with minimum weight requirements.

Switching Cars
If a driver changes car between qualifying and the race then he has to start the race from the pit lane. Car switching is not allowed once the race has begun.

Testing
All teams are limited to 30,000 test kilometres during a calendar year. Driver training and promotional events are not counted in this tally. All cars must be fitted with the standardized, FIA-approved Electronic Control Unit during testing. The teams should inform the governing body of their schedule.

Points
The top eight competitors in each Grand Prix score points according to a predefined scale. The driver at the first place gets ten points, second place eight points, third place six points, fourth place five points, fifth place four points, sixth place three points, seventh place two points and eighth place one point. The points are not given if a race is suspended and cannot be restarted. If less than 75 per cent of the race distance has been covered, half points are awarded.