The FIA has announced that Formula One season finales’ will henceforth be worth double points, while drivers will be able to carry a number of their choice for the duration of their careers.
As part of a bid to keep both championships alive until the final event, a last round victory will now be worth 50 points, second place 36 points, third place 30 points and so on, while a one-two for a team will yield 86 points.
The change was made in conjunction with the F1 Strategy Group – comprising Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Lotus and Williams – and the F1 Commission.
Already, the outcome has led to widespread derision from fans on popular sites, notably James Allen on F1, Joe Saward and F1 Fanatic. Many believe the initiative has the potential to deny a driver and team who has performed consistently all season of a deserved title.
Another consensus is that the finale, set for Abu Dhabi in 2014, doesn’t have the worth of a circuit such as Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka or Monaco, let alone warrant the idea of double points being awarded.
Whether the anger is enough to overturn the decision, as was the case in 2009 when a proposed medal-based system decided by victories, rather than points, was abandoned, remains to be seen.
The other change announced sees drivers able to choose a number they can carry for the duration of their careers, rather than one based on the previous season’s constructors’ standings.
Drivers can pick any number between 2 and 99, with the #1 reserved for the reigning champion should he or she wish to utilise it.
This move evokes memories of the 1980s and early 1990s, when Ferrari carried numbers 27 and 28, and Nigel Mansell the infamous red #5.
One can imagine that if Michael Schumacher was still racing, he would go with #7 for a multitude of obvious reasons.
The idea behind this change is that fans can associate their favourites with a number, creating a sentimental attachment, as is currently seen in NASCAR and MotoGP – most notably Valentino Rossi and #46.
Unsurprisingly, this notion has received a lot more warmth than the double points season finale. It will be intriguing to see which number star drivers such as Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton and Räikkönen select, and the symbolism behind it.
The final item on the agenda is a “global cost cap”, which is to be introduced in time for the 2015 season.
The last time a budget cap was mooted in 2009, a breakaway series was threatened by the FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) group outfits, with only the new for 2010 teams – Caterham (Lotus), Marussia (Virgin) and HRT (Hispania) – ultimately sticking to the guidelines.
Interesting times indeed.
Daniel Bradley
Roar Rookie
If the FIA wants to award more points, instead of going for double points at the end of the season, they should award points for drivers who qualify on pole position, score the fastest lap of the race and points for leading a number of laps in the race. The only problem with this is that Vettel would probably dominate yet again since he is able to do these things. Another proposal would be to run a playoff format such as the Chase for the Sprint Cup in NASCAR. After about 3/4 of the World Championship, drivers in the top 5 or 10 would be able to compete for the championship. To make it fair, the points would be reset to about 350 or less for drivers in contention so then everyone has an equal playing field.
Simoc
Guest
It seems the teams agreed to this change which is somewhat farcical. You can be sure if Alonso is 49points ahead before Abu Dhabi 2014 and gets taken out by a backmarker while Vettel wins again, the rule will be gone by the end of that week. Vettel says its a slur on the history of F1 and it is. But the rule is there only to reign in Vettel. He's to good and has been showing off his exhaust pipe to the less than admiring followers for years. Next year will be all different with the blown diffusers gone, all new engines and pretty much all Red Bulls advantages gone. I'm thinking it's all set up for Mercedes who really need to prove a point, then Ferrari. By seasons end Red Bull will be up there-abouts. As for numbers , who cares. It is a take-off off Rossi's marketing. I've never noticed a number yet on the cars but do on the motorbikes.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Great piece Bayden! I doubt any of the top Team Principals will be willing to adhere to a cost cap. Bernie has already told them that one way that could help limit spending is to not dish out so much on their motor homes. This sort of stubbornness isn't really going to help the sport survive so they need to come to an agreement before it's too late. Also Brazil was the best venue for the final race of the season because of its unpredictability with the weather and that was exciting enough. Amazing enough the facility of the Yas Marina circuit is, it hasn't delivered the same level of excitement that a Brazilian Grand Prix has and you only need to look to 2012. As for the double points system, it could either make or break somebody's championship or just let the leading man just run away with more points in the end.
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Ah, yes. for some reason, I thought there was a bit more to it than just that.
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
There was a proposed resource restriction agreement (RRA), which couldn't be agreed, and the budget cap which was proposed in 2009 was abandoned because the teams threatened to form a breakaway series since they found the cap too severe...
Nicholas Belardo
Roar Guru
Wasn't the budget cup initially removed a few years ago because it couldn't be policed? I think it's similar reasons to why one hasn't been introduced into the Premier League in England, and the Super League as well. I seem to recall that it's against EU legislation or something of the sort?
Bayden Westerweller
Roar Guru
You can understand why they would implement the double points in theory, but when it's implemented, it just seems like the same 'gimmick' so many fans refer to the KERS, DRS and tyres these days. As for the budget cap, I'd be guessing some sort of auditing or placing somebody within the team to keep account of their books' would be the logical way, but then outfits will hardly agree to that - not least Red Bull and Ferrari!
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Good summary Bayden. I'm very reflexes about the double points, but as you pointed out, this is likely to go the same way as the medals. Gawd, remember that! The budget cap is very interesting. How on earth would they police it?? Read Mike Lawrence yesterday for some humorous examples of how the teams will skip around it.