2008 Formula Renault 3.5 Series

Formula Renault 3.5 Series

Company type	Motorsport championship
Industry	Auto racing
Founded	2005
Area served	Europe
Key people	Andy Soucek (development driver)
Products	Formula Renault 3.5 cars, racing events

The 2008 Formula Renault 3.5 Series marked the fourth iteration of the championship, spanning from 26 April at Monza, Italy to 19 October at Barcelona, Spain. The season featured a total of 17 races.

Technical

Following three seasons, the Formula Renault 3.5 chassis was succeeded by a new vehicle crafted by Italian manufacturer Dallara. This updated model was the first in European motorsport to incorporate flex-fuel capability, capable of operating on either premium unleaded petrol or E85 bioethanol. The Renault V6 engine, developed by French firm Solution F, delivered an enhanced output, rising from to .

The design improvements encompassed a redesigned carbon fiber monocoque, a newly shaped front wing, sculpted sidepods, and side deflectors aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency. To keep expenses manageable, several parts such as the gearbox, rear suspension, and carbon brake systems were carried over from the previous car.

This new car made its first public appearance on 21 September during the Magny-Cours round of the 2007 season, where development driver Andy Soucek showcased it in action at the final event in Barcelona.

Sporting

For the 2008 season, entry was capped at 26 vehicles, split evenly among thirteen teams running two cars each. On 5 October 2007, the World Series by Renault committee announced twelve participating teams, with Ultimate Signature joining as the thirteenth team on 12 October.

A revised qualifying procedure was introduced:

• Competitors were divided into two equal groups for separate qualifying sessions lasting 20 minutes each.
• The top six drivers from each group (totaling twelve) progressed to a 15-minute 'Super Pole' shootout.
• The grid for Race One was determined by reversing the finishing order of the top eight drivers from Super Pole, followed by positions nine through twelve in their finishing order, and then the rest based on qualifying times.
• For Race Two, the starting order placed the top eight Super Pole finishers in session order at the front, with remaining drivers positioned according to their Race One results.

Teams and drivers

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Race schedule and outcomes

On 9 January 2008, Renault Sport officially announced the calendar for the 2008 season. The 2008 World Series by Renault season comprised seven events, including supplementary rounds held alongside the Monza 1000km and the Monaco Grand Prix.

 6 September  Template:CANTemplate:Robert WickensTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles PicTemplate:FRATemplate:Tech 1 RacingTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles Pic  7 September  Template:ARGTemplate:Esteban GuerrieriTemplate:CANTemplate:Robert WickensTemplate:NLDTemplate:Giedo van der GardeTemplate:GBRTemplate:P1 MotorsportTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles Pic  27 September  Template:ESPTemplate:Álvaro BarbaTemplate:BRATemplate:Fabio CarboneTemplate:Ultimate MotorsportTemplate:MEXTemplate:Pablo Sánchez López  28 September  Template:ESPTemplate:Miguel Molina (racing driver)Template:FRATemplate:Charles PicTemplate:ESPTemplate:Miguel Molina (racing driver)Template:ITATemplate:Prema PowerteamTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles Pic  18 October  Template:CANTemplate:Robert WickensTemplate:FRATemplate:Julien JousseTemplate:Tech 1 RacingTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles Pic  19 October  Template:ARGTemplate:Esteban GuerrieriTemplate:MEXTemplate:Salvador DuránTemplate:ARGTemplate:Esteban GuerrieriTemplate:Ultimate MotorsportTemplate:FRATemplate:Charles Pic

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Race Winner	Winning Team	Rookie Winner
1	R1	Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall Autodromo Nazionale Monza	26 April		Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Marcos Martínez	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall P1 Motorsport	Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Pablo Sánchez López
	R2		27 April	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall P1 Motorsport	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic
2	R1	Template:Country data BELTemplate:Namespace detect showall Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps	3 May		Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data BELTemplate:Namespace detect showall Bertrand Baguette	Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall International DracoRacing	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Alexandre Marsoin
	R2		4 May	Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall Marco Bonanomi	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall P1 Motorsport	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Alexandre Marsoin
3	R1	Template:Country data MCOTemplate:Namespace detect showall Circuit de Monaco	25 May	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Tech 1 Racing	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic
4	R1	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Silverstone Circuit	7 June		Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Salvador Durán	Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Salvador Durán	Template:Country data AUTTemplate:Namespace detect showall Interwetten.com Racing	Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Máximo Cortés
	R2		8 June	Robert Wickens	Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Salvador Durán	Robert Wickens	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Carlin Motorsport	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Charles Pic
5	R1	Template:Country data HUNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Hungaroring	5 July		Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Julien Jousse	Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall P1 Motorsport	Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Duncan Tappy
	R2		6 July	Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone	Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone	Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Ultimate Motorsport	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Alexandre Marsoin
6	R1	Nürburgring	30 August		Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone	Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone	Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Ultimate Motorsport	Template:Country data MEXTemplate:Namespace detect showall Pablo Sánchez López
	R2		31 August	Template:Flagicon NLDTemplate:Giedo van der GardeTemplate:Flagicon FRATemplate:Julien JousseTemplate:Flagicon ESPTemplate:Miguel Molina (racing driver)Template:Flagicon ITATemplate:Prema PowerteamTemplate:Flagicon MEXTemplate:Pablo Sánchez López

Season results

• Points were allocated for both championships according to the following scheme:

Race											Qualifying
Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	PP	2nd	3rd
Sprint	12	10	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Feature	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	4	2	1

Each driver could earn up to a maximum of 31 points per event weekend, excluding Monaco, while the highest possible team total was 55 points.

Drivers' Championship

Pos Driver MNZ SPR MNZ FEA SPA SPR SPA FEA MON FEA SIL SPR SIL FEA HUN SPR HUN FEA NÜR SPR NÜR FEA LMS SPR LMS FEA EST SPR EST FEA CAT SPR CAT FEA Points align="left"| Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Giedo van der Garde 1 |style="background:#ffffbf;"|1 |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#ffffbf;"|'1' |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'5' |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#ffffbf;"|'1' |style="background:#cfcfff;"|21† |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|7 |style="background:#ffffff;"|'DNS' |style="background:#ffffbf;"|'1' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'8' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'8' |style="background:#ffffff;"|'DNS' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' | 137 align="left"| Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Julien Jousse '3' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'4' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'4' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'7' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'10' |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|'2' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'9' |style="background:#cfcfff;"|'15' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'4' |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|'3' |style="background:#ffffbf;"|'1' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'5' | 106 align="left"| Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Fabio Carbone 'DSQ' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#cfcfff;"|'15' |style="background:#efcfff;"|'Ret' |style="background:#cfcfff;"|'12' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'4' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'5' |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|'3' |style="background:#ffffbf;">1 |style="background:#ffffbf;">'1' |style="background:#dfffdf;"|'6' |style="background:#ffdf9f;">'3' |style="background:#dfdfdf;">’2’ |style="background:#ffffbf;">’1’ 4 Miguel Molina Ret Ret 9 6 9 23 Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 2 5 7 1 Ret 7 79 Feature race pole position holders are indicated in bold Drivers receiving two points for fastest lap are shown in italics † — Indicates drivers classified despite not crossing the finish line, having completed over ninety percent of the race distance Teams' Championship 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 56 Position Team Car Number MNZ SPR Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall MNZ FEA Template:Country data ITATemplate:Namespace detect showall SPA SPR Template:Country data BELTemplate:Namespace detect showall SPA FEA Template:Country data BELTemplate:Namespace detect showall MON FEA Template:Country data MCOTemplate:Namespace detect showall SIL SPR Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall SIL FEA Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall HUN SPR Template:Country data HUNTemplate:Namespace detect showall HUN FEA Template:Country data HUNTemplate:Namespace detect showall NÜR SPR NÜR FEA LMS SPR Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall LMS FEA Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall EST SPR Template:Country data PRTTemplate:Namespace detect showall EST FEA Template:Country data PRTTemplate:Namespace detect showall CAT SPR Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall CAT FEA Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall Total Points 1 Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Tech 1 Racing 1 3 4 Ret Ret 4 7 10 2 2 Ret 2 9 15 4 3 1 5 175 2 9 3 Ret 12 1 15 13 18† 9 Ret 12 1 6 Ret 2 8 8 Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Ultimate Motorsport#Ultimate Signature 27 DSQ Ret 15 Ret 12 4 5 3 1 1 6 3 2 1 Ret 5 10 '159' 28 > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >16 > style= " background: # efcfff; " >Ret > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >12 > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >19 > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >17 > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >22 > style= " background: # dfffdf; " >4 > style= " background: # efcfff; " >Ret > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >12 > style= " background: # cfcfff; " >12 > style= " background: # dfffdf; " >9 > style= " background: # dfffdf; " >4 > style= " background: # ffdf9f; " >3 > style= " background: # dfffdf; " >5 > style= " background: # dfffdf; " >6 > style= " background: # efcfff; " >Ret > style= " background: # ffffbf; " >1 style=text-align:left rowspan=2"|Template:Flagicon\GBR P1 Motorsport 21 style= background-color:\#ffffbf\>|1 style= background-color:\#ffffbf\>| 1 Ret style= background-color:\#ffffbf\>|1 2 5 2 1 21† 2 7 DNS 1 8 8 DNS Ret '142' 22 10 11 16 Ret 18 19 20 15 Ret 7 19 Ret Ret Ret 15 13 13 style=text-align:left rowspan=2"|Template:Flagicon\ITA Prema Powerteam 9 Ret Ret 9 6 9 23 Ret Ret 3 Ret 1 2 5 7 1 Ret 7 '137' 10 Ret 2 DNS 10 14 3 8 Ret 5 Ret 3 NC 12 2 Ret 6 Ret style=text-align:left rowspan=2| Template:Flagicon\GBR Carlin Motorsport 5 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 5 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 5 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 5 style= background-color:\#ffdf9f; 3 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 6 Ret style= background-color:\#cfcfff; 18 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 9 style= background-color:\#cfcfff; 15 style= background-color:\#ffdf9f; 3 DNS style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 6 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 4 style= background-color:\#dfffdf; 9 style= background-color:\#cfcfff; 23 style= background-color:\#dfdfdf; 2 style= background-color:\#cfcfff; 14 '128' Ret Ret style = background-color : \# cfcfff ; 14 Ret style = background-color : \# efcfff ; 19 style = background-color : \# dfffdf ; 9 style = background-color : \# ffffbf ; 1 Ret style = background-color : \# dfffdf ; 8 style = background-color : \# cfcfff ; 13 style = background-color : \# cfcfff ; 18 style = background-color : \# cfcfff ; 14 {{nowrap}}{{flagicon ITA}} [[Draco Racing#International DracoRacing]] </nowiki> External links