Double mad about double points? Hate the game, not the player

It’s difficult to believe that eight months have passed since Formula One waltzed into the Albert Park paddock in Melbourne for the first round of the regulatory revolution that has been the 2014 season.

From pre-season speculation of a grid of ticking time bombs brought about by undercooked power units, driver disqualifications and team finances, to regulatory squabbles, commercial crises and an explosive driver market, controversy has been the name of the game – and that’s without reference to the noise made about the noise.

All the while, though, Mercedes transcended the instability of the sport around it. Its midseason reliability blip wasn’t enough to shake it, nor was a classic case of warring teammates going to slow its inevitable march towards title glory.

From the drivers’ perspective, the result of Mercedes’ unshakable self-belief has been distilled into a mere 17 points between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. But things are rarely so simple in Formula One, and what once seemed like a distant threat to be worried about some other day, now hangs thick in the air like the smoke pluming from Lewis Hamilton’s engine.

Abu Dhabi’s double points.

Much has been written about the controversial rule, but for all the huffing and puffing about the tarnishing of Formula One’s sporting reputation (though double points is probably the least self-destructive of Formula One’s actions in recent times), two critical things must be taken into account.

The first of those is that, while giving ground for the artificiality of the situation, double points is just the latest tweak in a long line of changes to the points system in the last twenty years alone. The current system, awarding 25 points for a win, was implemented as recently as 2010. It placed significantly greater emphasis on wins and podium finishes, subtly changing championship dynamics in its quest to push drivers to race harder.

With that in mind it’s difficult to call out double points on tradition alone. Artificial though they may be, one could say they are no more out of place than DRS.

The second and most important qualification that must be placed on the application of double points is that the championship points deficit is a measly 17 points. That is, Nico Rosberg’s scintillating form in Brazil reduced his points deficit to less than a (conventional) race win, bringing it back from the brink of needing this desperate form of life support.

“A-ha,” you might say. “But double points make it easier for Rosberg to clinch the title when he otherwise have little chance of doing so”.

True enough. Assuming Rosberg wins, Hamilton would only need a sixth place to secure the title under normal circumstances. In 2014, only a second place will do if Rosberg puts together another flawless weekend.

But such an argument misses the point, and the point is that points have always been Formula One’s point.

The universal derision of Bernie Ecclestone’s attempt to implement a medal system, changing the title criteria from most points scored to most races won, underlines just how significant a points system is to the Formula One’s DNA.

Consistency has always been more important than mere moments of brilliance. It is for this reason that there will always be an asterisk next to Pastor Maldonado’s name: he’s a quick driver, *but*…

Alain Prost is the exemplar of such a driver. He never relied on his speed alone, but played the points game to join the exclusive four-title club.

So is the case in 2014. While Hamilton’s win tally is impressive, Rosberg remains within touching distance by playing for points. Look no further than his salvaging of the Canadian Grand Prix as evidence of his Prost-esque nature.

It his attitude in Montreal, maximising points in what could have been a point-less race, is illustrative of that he has used throughout the season.

That will be the key differentiator this season. As I alluded to two weeks ago, Hamilton’s driving has already made him a worthy champion elect. His put-your-foot-down approach pays immediate dividends.

Rosberg, on the other hand, has taken an endurance approach. Every race is merely an opportunity to score enough points for the ultimate prize. The tricky part is making this final piece fit into place.

Certainly this method earns fewer plaudits. Coming second every other race is the less sexy road to the title compared to Hamilton’s winning four races in a row twice – but would it make his crowning as champion any less worthy? Absolutely not.

It easy to argue that Lewis has been unfortunate with reliability, and that he is the more complete driver – but that is to discount the obvious psychological effect Mercedes’ public dressing-down had on Nico.

Both have overcome their own personal battles this season, and now just 17 points separated them from Formula One’s ultimate prize.

This is not a defence of a highly questionable regulatory tweak, but a defence of Nico Rosberg, whose title credentials appear to be tarnished for no other reason than he has played for the points made available to all other drivers.

Wins don’t matter. Nor do poles. Fastest laps, podium places, and front row lockouts all count for nothing. Only points matter, and the 2014 world title will be decided in precisely the same way all others have been: the driver with the most points, wins.

Bring on Abu Dhabi.