2008 Formula One season facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
2008 FIA Formula One World Championship season

Champion driver	Lewis Hamilton
Second driver	Felipe Massa
Third driver	Kimi Räikkönen
Champion constructor	Ferrari
Previous season: 2007   Next season: 2009

The 2008 Formula One season was a super exciting year for Formula One racing! It was the 59th time the FIA Formula One World Championship took place. The season started on March 16 and ended on November 2, with eighteen thrilling races. Lewis Hamilton became the Drivers' World Champion, which means he was the best driver that year. Meanwhile, the team Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro won the Constructors' title, showing they had the best overall cars and team effort.

Teams and Drivers in 2008

In the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship, many famous teams and drivers competed. Here's a look at who was racing:

Team	Car Maker	Car Model	Engine	Tyre	Car No.	Race Drivers	Test Driver(s)
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro	Ferrari	Ferrari F2008	Ferrari Type 056 2.4 L V8	B	1	Kimi Räikkönen	Luca Badoer Marc Gené Michael Schumacher
					2	Felipe Massa
BMW Sauber F1 Team	BMW Sauber	Sauber F1.08	BMW P86/8 2.4 L V8	B	3	Nick Heidfeld	Christian Klien Marko Asmer
					4	Robert Kubica
ING Renault F1 Team	Renault	Renault R28	Renault RS27 2.4 L V8	B	5	Fernando Alonso	Lucas di Grassi Romain Grosjean Sakon Yamamoto
					6	Nelson Piquet, Jr.
AT&T Williams	Williams	Williams FW30	Toyota RVX-08 2.4 L V8	B	7	Nico Rosberg	Nico Hülkenberg
					8	Kazuki Nakajima
Red Bull Racing	Red Bull	Red Bull RB4	Renault RS27 2.4 L V8	B	9	David Coulthard	Sébastien Buemi
					10	Mark Webber
Panasonic Toyota Racing	Toyota	Toyota TF108	Toyota RVX-08 2.4 L V8	B	11	Jarno Trulli	Kamui Kobayashi
					12	Timo Glock
Scuderia Toro Rosso	Toro Rosso	Toro Rosso STR2B† Toro Rosso STR3	Ferrari Type 056 2.4 L V8	B	14	Sébastien Bourdais	Brendon Hartley
					15	Sebastian Vettel
Honda Racing F1 Team	Honda	Honda RA108	Honda RA808E 2.4 L V8	B	16	Jenson Button	Alexander Wurz Anthony Davidson Mike Conway Luca Filippi
					17	Rubens Barrichello
Super Aguri F1 Team ‡	Super Aguri	Super Aguri SA08	Honda RA808E 2.4 L V8	B	18	Takuma Sato	none
					19	Anthony Davidson
Force India Formula One Team	Force India	Force India VJM01	Ferrari Type 056 2.4 L V8	B	20	Adrian Sutil	Vitantonio Liuzzi
					21	Giancarlo Fisichella
Vodafone McLaren Formula One Team	McLaren	McLaren MP4-23	Mercedes-Benz FO 108V 2.4 L V8	B	22	Lewis Hamilton	Pedro de la Rosa Gary Paffett
					23	Heikki Kovalainen

^† This team started the 2008 season using an updated version of their car from 2007.
^‡ The Super Aguri team had to leave the 2008 Formula One season on May 6. This was because they had money problems.

Team Changes in 2008

• The Spyker team was bought by an Indian businessman named Vijay Mallya. He paid €88 million for it! He was allowed to change the team's name to Force India.
• The Super Aguri team had to stop racing in Formula One on May 6, 2008. They were having money troubles since the end of the 2007 season. They didn't get money they were expecting from a sponsor.

Driver Changes in 2008

After racing for ten years, Ralf Schumacher did not compete in the 2008 season.

Many drivers changed teams or joined/left Formula One in 2008:

Drivers Who Changed Teams

• Fernando Alonso: He left McLaren and joined Renault F1.
• Heikki Kovalainen: He left Renault F1 and joined McLaren.
• Giancarlo Fisichella: He left Renault F1 and joined Force India.
• Nelson Piquet, Jr.: He moved from being a test driver for Renault F1 to a main driver for them.
• Timo Glock: He came from racing in the GP2 Series and being a test driver for BMW Sauber F1. He then joined Toyota Racing.
• Vitantonio Liuzzi: He left Scuderia Toro Rosso and became a test driver for Force India.
• Kazuki Nakajima: He came from racing in the GP2 Series and being a test driver for WilliamsF1. He then became a main driver for Williams.
• Alexander Wurz: He left WilliamsF1 and became a test driver for Honda Racing F1.
• Christian Klien: He left Honda Racing F1 as a test driver and joined BMW Sauber F1 as a test driver.
• Sakon Yamamoto: He left Spyker F1 and joined Renault F1 as a test and development driver.

Drivers Who Joined F1

• Sébastien Bourdais: He came from the Champ Car World Series and joined Scuderia Toro Rosso.
• Marko Asmer: He came from the British Formula Three Championship and became a test driver for BMW Sauber F1.

Drivers Who Left F1

• Ralf Schumacher: He left Toyota Racing and started racing in the DTM Touring Cars series instead.

2008 Race Schedule

The FIA World Council decided on the 2008 race schedule on October 24, 2007. A big highlight was the Singapore Grand Prix, which was Formula One's first-ever night race!

Round	Official Race Name	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date	Time
					Local	UTC
1	ING Australian Grand Prix	Australian GP	Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne	16 March	15:30	04:30
2	Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix	Malaysian GP	Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur	23 March	15:00	07:00
3	Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix	Bahrain GP	Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Manama	6 April	14:30	11:30
4	Gran Premio de España Telefónica	Spanish GP	Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona	27 April	14:00	12:00
5	Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix	Turkish GP	Istanbul Park	11 May	15:00	12:00
6	Grand Prix de Monaco	Monaco GP	Circuit de Monaco	25 May	14:00	12:00
7	Grand Prix du Canada	Canadian GP	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal	8 June	13:00	17:00
8	Grand Prix de France	French GP	Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours	22 June	14:00	12:00
9	Santander British Grand Prix	British GP	Silverstone Circuit	6 July	13:00	12:00
10	Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland	German GP	Hockenheimring	20 July	14:00	12:00
11	ING Magyar Nagydíj	Hungarian GP	Hungaroring, Budapest	3 August	14:00	12:00
12	Telefónica Grand Prix of Europe	European GP	Valencia Street Circuit†	24 August	14:00	12:00
13	ING Belgian Grand Prix	Belgian GP	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa	7 September	14:00	12:00
14	Gran Premio Santander d'Italia	Italian GP	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza	14 September	14:00	12:00
15	SingTel Singapore Grand Prix‡	Singapore GP	Marina Bay Street Circuit†	28 September	20:00	12:00
16	Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix	Japanese GP	Fuji Speedway, Oyama	12 October	13:30	04:30
17	Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix	Chinese GP	Shanghai International Circuit	19 October	15:00	07:00
18	Grande Prêmio do Brasil	Brazilian GP	Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo	2 November	15:00	17:00

^† These were brand new circuits for Formula One.
^‡ This was a night race, which was a first for Formula One!

New Rules for 2008

Formula One often changes its rules to make racing fairer, safer, or more exciting. Here are some of the big rule changes for the 2008 season:

• All cars had to use a standard Electronic Control Unit (ECU). This computer brain for the car was made by Microsoft and McLaren Electronic Systems.
• Traction control and launch control were banned. These electronic helpers made it easier for drivers to get grip and start races. Other electronic aids, like engine braking, were also not allowed.
• Rules about engine design changes were put in place. Teams were not allowed to change their engine designs for five years starting in 2008.
• The fuel used in the race cars had to contain at least 5.75% biological materials. This was a step towards more eco-friendly racing.
• Gearboxes (transmissions) had to last for four races in a row. If a team changed it early, they would get a penalty.
• The protection around the driver's head (the cockpit) was made even safer.
• Teams were no longer allowed to bring a third spare race car to the track.
• Bridgestone became the only official tyre supplier for the 2008, 2009, and 2010 seasons.
• Teams could not test their cars for more than 30,000 km (about 18,641 miles) during the whole 2008 year.

Qualifying Rule Changes

Qualifying is when drivers try to set the fastest lap to decide their starting position for the race. Here's how it changed:

• The first part of qualifying (Q1) was made longer, lasting 20 minutes. The third part (Q3) was made shorter, lasting 10 minutes.
• After Q3, teams could no longer add fuel back to their cars. This stopped the "fuel-burn" phase, where cars would drive around to use up fuel before the final qualifying laps.
• A minimum lap time was introduced for each qualifying session. This rule started in Bahrain. It was to stop cars from driving too slowly back to the pits, which could be dangerous.
• After the Super Aguri team left Formula One, only five drivers were eliminated from Q1 instead of six.

Race Results and Standings

Here are the winners of each Grand Prix and how the drivers and teams finished the season.

Grand Prix Winners

Rd.	Grand Prix	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning Driver	Winning Team
1	Australian Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Heikki Kovalainen	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
2	Malaysian Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Nick Heidfeld	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
3	Bahrain Grand Prix	Robert Kubica	Heikki Kovalainen	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
4	Spanish Grand Prix	Kimi Räikkönen	Kimi Räikkönen	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
5	Turkish Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Kimi Räikkönen	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
6	Monaco Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Kimi Räikkönen	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
7	Canadian Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Kimi Räikkönen	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber
8	French Grand Prix	Kimi Räikkönen	Kimi Räikkönen	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
9	British Grand Prix	Heikki Kovalainen	Kimi Räikkönen	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
10	German Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Nick Heidfeld	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
11	Hungarian Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Kimi Räikkönen	Heikki Kovalainen	McLaren-Mercedes
12	European Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Felipe Massa	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
13	Belgian Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Kimi Räikkönen	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
14	Italian Grand Prix	Sebastian Vettel	Kimi Räikkönen	Sebastian Vettel	Toro Rosso-Ferrari
15	Singapore Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Kimi Räikkönen	Fernando Alonso	Renault
16	Japanese Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Felipe Massa	Fernando Alonso	Renault
17	Chinese Grand Prix	Lewis Hamilton	Lewis Hamilton	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
18	Brazilian Grand Prix	Felipe Massa	Felipe Massa	Felipe Massa	Ferrari

Driver Standings

Here's how the drivers finished the 2008 season, based on the points they earned in each race.

Rank Driver AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA Points 1 Lewis Hamilton 1 5 13 3 2 1 Ret 10 1 1 5 2 3 7 3 12 1 5 98 2 Felipe Massa Ret Ret 1 2 1 3 5 1 13 3 17† 1 1 6 13 7 2 1 97 3 Kimi Räikkönen 8† 1 2 1 3 9 Ret 2 4 6 3 Ret 18† 9 15† 3 3 3 75 4 Robert Kubica Ret 2 3 4 4 2 1 5 Ret 7 8 3 6 3 11 2 6 11 75 5 Fernando Alonso 4 8 10 Ret 6 10 Ret 8 6 11 4 Ret 4 4 1 1 4 2 61 6 Nick Heidfeld 2 6 4 9 5 14 2 13 2 4 10 9 2 5 6 9 5 10 60 7 Heikki Kovalainen 5 3 5 Ret 12 8 9 4 5 5 1 4 10† 2 10 Ret Ret 7 53 8 Sebastian Vettel Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 5 8 12 Ret 8 Ret 6 5 1 5 6 9 4 35 9 Jarno Trulli Ret 4 6 8 10 13 6 3 7 9 7 5 16 13 Ret 5 Ret 8 31 10 Timo Glock Ret Ret 9 11 13 12 4 11 12 Ret 2 7 9 11 4 Ret 7 6 25 11 Mark Webber Ret 7 7 5 7 4 12 6 10 Ret 9 12 8 8 Ret 8 14 9 21 12 Nelson Piquet, Jr. Ret 11 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 7 Ret 2 6 11 Ret 10 Ret 4 8 Ret 19 13 Nico Rosberg 3 14 8 Ret 8 Ret 10 16 9 10 14 8 12 14 2 11 15 12 17 14 Rubens Barrichello DSQ 13 11 Ret 14 6 7 14 3 Ret 16 16 Ret 17 Ret 13 11 15 11 15 Kazuki Nakajima 6 17 14 7 Ret 7 Ret 15 8 14 13 15 14 12 8 15 12 17 9 16 David Coulthard Ret 9 18 12 9 Ret 3 9 Ret 13 11 17 11 16 7 Ret 10 Ret 8 17 Sébastien Bourdais 7† Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 13 17 11 12 18 10 7 18 12 10 13 14 4 18 Jenson Button Ret 10 Ret 6 11 11 11 Ret Ret 17 12 13 15 15 9 14 16 13 3 19 Giancarlo Fisichella Ret 12 12 10 Ret Ret Ret 18 Ret 16 15 14 17 Ret 14 Ret 17 18 0 20 Adrian Sutil Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 Ret Ret 19 Ret 15 Ret Ret 13 19 Ret Ret Ret 16 0 21 Takuma Sato Ret 16 17 13 WD 0 22 Anthony Davidson Ret 15 16 Ret WD 0 Rank Driver AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA Points

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Light blue Practiced only (PO) Friday test driver (TD) (starting in 2003) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrew entry before the event (WD) Bold – Pole Position (started first) Italics – Fastest Lap (quickest lap in the race)

^† Drivers who didn't finish the race but completed more than 90% of the race distance still got a final position.

Constructor Standings

Here's how the teams (constructors) finished the 2008 season, based on the points their drivers earned.

Rank Team Car No. AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA Points 1 Ferrari 1 8† 1 2 1 3 9 Ret 2 4 6 3 Ret 18† 9 15† 3 3 3 172 2 Ret Ret 1 2 1 3 5 1 13 3 17† 1 1 6 13 7 2 1 2 McLaren-Mercedes 22 1 5 13 3 2 1 Ret 10 1 1 5 2 3 7 3 12 1 5 151 23 5 3 5 Ret 12 8 9 4 5 5 1 4 10 2 10 Ret Ret 7 3 BMW Sauber 3 2 6 4 9 5 14 2 13 2 4 10 9 2 5 6 9 5 10 135 4 Ret 2 3 4 4 2 1 5 Ret 7 8 3 6 3 11 2 6 11 4 Renault 5 4 8 10 Ret 6 10 Ret 8 6 11 4 Ret 4 4 1 1 4 2 80 6 Ret 11 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 7 Ret 2 6 11 Ret 10 Ret 4 8 Ret 5 Toyota 11 Ret 4 6 8 10 13 6 3 7 9 7 5 16 11 Ret 5 Ret 8 56 12 Ret Ret 9 11 13 12 4 11 12 Ret 2 7 9 13 4 Ret 7 6 6 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 14 7† Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret 13 17 11 12 18 10 7 18 12 10 13 14 39 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret 17 5 8 12 Ret 8 Ret 6 5 1 5 6 9 4 7 Red Bull-Renault 9 Ret 9 18 12 9 Ret 3 9 Ret 13 11 17 11 16 7 Ret 10 Ret 29 10 Ret 7 7 5 7 4 12 6 10 Ret 9 12 8 8 Ret 8 14 9 8 Williams-Toyota 7 3 14 8 Ret 8 Ret 10 16 9 10 14 8 12 14 2 11 15 12 26 8 6 17 14 7 Ret 7 Ret 15 8 14 13 15 14 12 8 15 12 17 9 Honda 16 Ret 10 Ret 6 11 11 11 Ret Ret 17 12 13 15 15 9 14 16 13 14 17 DSQ 13 11 Ret 14 6 7 14 3 Ret 16 16 Ret 17 Ret 13 11 15 10 Force India-Ferrari 20 Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 Ret Ret 19 Ret 15 Ret Ret 13 19 Ret Ret Ret 16 0 21 Ret 12 12 10 Ret Ret Ret 18 Ret 16 15 14 17 Ret 14 Ret 17 18 11 Super Aguri-Honda‡ 18 Ret 16 17 13 WD 0 19 Ret 15 16 Ret WD Rank Team Car No. AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA Points † Drivers who didn't finish the race but completed more than 90% of the race distance still got a final position. ‡ Super Aguri left the Formula One world championship on May 6, 2008.

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Light blue Practiced only (PO) Friday test driver (TD) (starting in 2003) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrew entry before the event (WD) Bold – Pole Position (started first) Italics – Fastest Lap (quickest lap in the race)

Images for kids

• 

  Lewis Hamilton, the champion of the 2008 Formula One season.

• 

  Felipe Massa finished second in the World Drivers' Championship, just one point behind Hamilton.

• 

  Kimi Räikkönen, the champion from 2007, finished the season in 3rd place.

• 

  David Coulthard (shown here in 1995) retired at the end of the season after racing in Formula One for 14 years.

• 

  Ferrari won the Constructors' Championship for the second year in a row.

• 

  Force India joined the sport after Vijay Mallya bought the Spyker team.

• 

  Former two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso tests the Renault R28 car at Valencia.

See also

In Spanish: Temporada 2008 de Fórmula 1 para niños