2008 season
The World Series by Renault Organizing Committee has today unveiled the names of twelve of the thirteen teams pre-selected for the 2008 season of the World Series Formula Renault 3.5. The main features of the sporting regulations have also been confirmed, starting with the creation of a Superpole session to decide on the top drivers in qualifying.
Pre-selected teams
The list of the twelve teams pre-selected for 2008 is as follows:
Carlin Motorsport Comtec Racing Epsilon Euskadi Fortec Motorsport KTR International Draco Racing Interwetten.com Racing P1 Motorsport Pons Racing Prema Powerteam RC Motorsport Tech 1 Racing
The thirteenth team will be chosen from the waiting list and announced on October 12. To definitively confirm their participation in the championship, the teams must complete the final stages of the registration process.
2008 race calendar
The 2008 World Series Formula Renault 3.5 championship will once again feature nine meetings (17 races). Seven will be held as part of the World Series by Renault meetings (Belgium, Turkey or Italy, Germany, Hungary, the United Kingdom, France and Spain), one will take place at the Monaco GP (1 race) and one at another venue (tbd).
Meeting format
Thursday: Four hours of collective testing at four meetings (tbd)
Friday: Two 45-minute collective test sessions
Saturday: - Two 20-minute qualifying sessions (field split into two groups) followed by a 15-minute Superpole session - A 45-minute (maximum) qualifying race with reverse start grid in comparison to qualifying
Sunday: A 45-minute (maximum) race with mandatory tyre change pit stop
Start grid
The 26 cars will be split into two groups (A and B), each having a 20-minute session. The best six drivers from each group will qualify for the 15-minute Superpole session. The start grid for race one will be determined by reversing the finishing order of the top eight drivers in the Superpole. These will be followed by the last four of the Superpole (in finishing order) and the 14 other drivers in the order in which they finished in qualifying (one group per line).
The top eight from the Superpole will again occupy the first eight places on the start grid for race 2 but this time in the order in which they finished. They will be followed by the other drivers in their finishing order from race 1.
Allocation of points
The top three in the Superpole will score 4, 2 and 1 points. The top ten in race 1 will score 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points. The top ten in race 2 will score 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points. No points will be awarded for the fastest race lap.
Prize money and awards
A total of €750,000 in prize money will be available to the thirteen teams, awarded after the first four meetings (€40,000 to 1st) and at the end of the season (€80,000 to 1st).
The champion will win a test with the ING Renault F1 Team. He/she will also automatically be given an FIA Super Licence.
