www.minivans.autoblog.com/2007/07/03/no-foam-for-you-wrc-banning-run-flat-tire-foam-electronics-fil/

Interesting.

Thats so stupid...
Will the monitoring systems reinflate the tire? If not, how will having to change the tires more often save money???
Plus, I'm sure the upkeep of these monitoring systems won't just be pocket change.

Originally posted by eclipzGST
Thats so stupid... Will the monitoring systems reinflate the tire? If not, how will having to change the tires more often save money??? Plus, I'm sure the upkeep of these monitoring systems won't just be pocket change.

No clue. This is from the FIA website:

Originally posted by FIA
From the beginning of the 2008 season, all World Rally Car entrants will use tyres from a single supplier. Run-flat ‘foam’ will not be permitted. Tenders will be invited from tyre companies.

Pretty ambiguous and I don't see WRC drivers changing their tire mid-stage.

This was pretty cool though:

Originally posted by FIA
The introduction of Biofuel, at the earliest opportunity, is being studied by the FIA Technical Department.

Biofuel = lame. Why turn corn into fuel when it is just going to drive the price of feed for livestock up? The only benefit to biofuel is since it has less energy available, you can dump more in to get the same power and prevent knock.

Edit: nevermind, I'm retarded. I read that initially and thought diesel. :P

Hmmm...

I think it would be more expensive as well. Although, I don't believe you will *have to* use the monitoring system. IMO, real rally drivers change tires. It's part of the game. You run a clean line where you can and, should you lose a tire, you put up the triangles and you change it as quickly as possible.

My friends (Kaiser and Dan's too) Kris and Christine sometimes even run with (2) full sized spares in the trunk of their Neon rally car. Kris has welded a nut on the 4-way tire iron so that he can use the 4-way to hold the spares in place along with ratchet straps. Then they use the OEM scissor jack and an electric impact to do the grunt work. They can have a tire changed inside of five minutes.

What good is some computerized c'mon going to be when it comes to tires?

HAL9000: Dave, you have a flat tire, Dave.

Then Dave gets his happy ass out and changes the tire. :P

EDIT:
Marcus is NOT going to like this. :P

Originally posted by DR1665
blah blah blah

Real rally != WRC :P

/me ducks