No it has to be something that improves the sport. Ten points awarded each race for best looking pit babe.
You guys might find this interesting: The rationale behind the move is to boost the chances of a final-race shootout following Sebastian Vettel's sealing of the title with three races to spare this year. Had the rule been in place this year, the change would have made no difference and Vettel would still have sealed the title at the Indian Grand Prix. But a glance back at the 10 instances when the world championship result would have been changed offers some interesting case studies. In the real world, there have been 27 final-race title shootouts since the world championship started in 1950. With double points for the finale, that would increase to 46 occasions. The examples below take into account all dropped score systems in play for the individual seasons. 1953 Real points: 1 Ascari, 34.5; 2 Fangio, 28; 3 Farina, 26 Revised points: 1 Fangio, 37; 2 Ascari 34.5; 3 Farina, 32 This is a superb example of the dangers of a double-points finale. The combination of Alberto Ascari and the Ferrari 500 was comfortably the best package in the field, but Juan Manuel Fangio's sole victory of the season in the outclassed Maserati A6GCM-53 was enough to steal the title. This was because Ascari retired when he was collected by Onofre Marimon after spinning while battling with team-mate Giuseppe Farina, meaning he scored no points in the finale. A similar problem for a driver leading by 49 points heading into Abu Dhabi could rob them of a title that is rightfully their own. 1956 Real points: 1 Fangio, 30; 2 Moss, 27 Revised points: 1 Moss, 36; 2 Fangio, 32 In the real world, Stirling Moss's victory in season-ending Italian GP was not enough to overhaul Fangio. But with double points, it would be. Fangio would gain an extra two points because his haul of three points for fourth doubles to sixth. He would then count that score and drop an earlier third place. Even so, Moss's 19 points gives him his first title. 1958 Real points: 1 Hawthorn, 42; 2 Moss, 41 Revised points: 1 Moss, 50; 2 Hawthorn, 48 A double points finale in '58 would have robbed the sport of one of its great acts of sportsmanship, when Stirling Moss defended title rival Mike Hawthorn from disqualification for an alleged push start against the flow of traffic and handed his rival the title. This would have been irrelevant under double points, with Moss taking the title thanks to victory and fastest lap. 1970 Real points: 1 Rindt, 45; 2 Ickx, 40 Revised points: 1 Ickx, 49; 2 Rindt, 45 Given the effort Jacky Icxk went to not to deny Jochen Rindt a posthumous world championship in 1970, it seems fanciful to imagine he would have been willing to nick the title with a double-points victory in the final race considering Rindt's title was assured at the penultimate race in reality. 1979 Real points: 1 Scheckter, 51; 2 Villeneuve, 47 Revised points: 1 Villeneuve 56; 2 Scheckter, 51 In the real world, Jody Scheckter clinched the title with victory in the Italian Grand Prix thanks to team orders. But with double points for winning the United States GP, Ferrari team-mate Gilles Villeneuve would have taken the crown. 1981 Real points: 1 Piquet, 50; 2 Reutemann, 49; 3 Jones, 46 Revised points: 1 Jones, 55; 2 Piquet, 52; 3 Reutemann, 49 Famously, Carlos Reutemann's struggle to seventh at Las Vegas allowed Nelson Piquet to take the title with fifth. But under the double points rule, Alan Jones's victory would have given him a second straight title. It's impossible to say how different the race would have been had the drivers been fighting for double points. Piquet's physical struggles are well-documented but he was covering Reutemann and it's possible he could have gained the two places he needed to stave off Jones had he driven a different race - although he would have needed to be almost a minute further up the road. 1984 Real points: 1 Lauda, 72; 2 Prost, 71.5 Revised points: 1 Prost 80.5; 2 Lauda, 78 Niki Lauda's measured drive to second at Estoril famously netted him the '84 title by half-a-point. But with double points at stake, Prost would have prevailed by 2.5 points, robbing the great Austrian of the race of his life. 2003 Real points: 1 Schumacher, 93; 2 Raikkonen, 91 Revised points: 1 Raikkonen, 99; 2 Schumacher 94 Michael Schumacher's struggles in the 2003 finale at Suzuka, starting 14th and battling home eighth after clashes with both Takuma Sato and brother Ralf, did not result in Kimi Raikkonen stealing the world championship. With double points for the Finn's second place, it would have done and Schumacher would have thrown away the fourth of his five straight world titles. 2008 Real points: 1 Hamilton, 98; 2 Massa, 97 Revised points: 1 Massa, 107; 2 Hamilton 102 McLaren's conservative approach led to Lewis Hamilton having to pass slick-shod Timo Glock in the wet in the dying seconds of the 2008 Brazilian GP to beat Felipe Massa. With double points at stake, it would have not been enough to take the title and Hamilton would have had to be second to make it. 2012 Real points: 1 Vettel, 281; 2 Alonso, 278 Revised points: 1 Alonso, 296; 2 Vettel, 289 Sebastian Vettel's battling drive to sixth after a first lap disaster was enough to ensure he won a third consecutive world championship. But not if Alonso had picked up 36 points for finishing second. If that had happened, Vettel would have needed to pick up four more points by overhauling both Nico Hulkenberg and Mark Webber to finish fourth.
Do you ever get the feeling that sometimes the FIA just like to change regulations for the mere sake of changing them? All the best, Andrew.
Thanks Mr Meat. That was very interesting. Personally I think it'll be an awful shame if someone wins the championship because of the double points in the last race rule.
Like winning the lottery... To quote from a highly entertaining movie Tropic Thunder, "You never go full rahtard." The FIA has gone "full rahtard" imho.
I wonder if it will result in manufacturers designing their cars (each year this is in effect) with the last race more in mind than the others. All the best, Andrew.
You think they could at least randomize the one race that gets double points to prevent ulterior planning for it...
That's a good one, but a different spin: You get a grid penalty for NOT running in Q3 if you get in there. Apply the 107% rule across all 3 sessions.
Sure! I know I would. I cannot believe this is any more than pure off-season BS to give us something to talk about. The whole concept is ludicrous and I still hope they'll see sense soon. Cheers, Ian
Trying to figure out how to keep people coming to the last 2-3 races of the year....with that kind of final race points award, it's just another marketing ploy. COTA probably floated the idea after their race was impacted by earlier Vettel clinch.
I admire your commitment to logic and reason. Optimism, logic and reason do not play big roles in today's F1 alas.
I beg to differ. Again There *may* have been a few 'locals' who didn't bother to show up in Texas and/or Brazil, but most fans are booked way ahead of time, and the championship standings make no difference to whether they attend or not. I could be wrong(!), but I very much doubt Austin attendance was much impacted by KI already being WDC for example. Cheers, Ian
It's now called the Strategy Group. FIA has 6 votes, FOM has 6 votes and 1 vote each between the Top 6 teams. They feared that this new group could manipulate the rules without all the teams in agreement... this double points ruling is only the beginning. How long till they pick n choose which races are double points based on commercial interests. Monaco would definitely be one on the short list.
It's 'motorsport'..... Optimism springs eternal! Logic & reason, now that's a different debate again! Has *anyone* said they think this BS is a 'good' idea? AFAIK, there's unanimous agreement that its nonsense...... Call me an optimist, but I remain hopeful things will revert back. Cheers, Ian
They had sufficient votes. It is possible that it will become an embarrassment and be ditched. But embarrassment requires a degree of shame and when was the last time there was any of that in F1?
Ecclestone: Extra points for last 3 races or none at all: Double points may be axed by next month, says Ecclestone | MotorSportsTalk I remember Tavo Hellmund alluded to a tweak like this in that C&D blog.
IF this, the final insult to the sport, gets the teams to work together in an intelligent manner it will be a great thing. IF
