F1 switches to Most Wins scoring system
;)
;)
Formula One racing gets shake-up as points system is scrapped in favour of race wins.
New rule changes to the Formula One rules and regulations have caused controversy among teams just two weeks before the start of the new racing season.
Yesterday in Paris as the World Council convened to discuss the future of the sport, a shake-up to the points scoring system was expected.
What they wanted was a shake-up; what they got was devastation.
The Daily Telegraph described the events as a “well-aimed grenade” as the scoring system was completely scrapped rather than altered, and in its place a new tallying system was introduced.
This season, the driver who wins the most races will take the title, not the driver who scores the most points.
The changes will have serious repercussions for the top drivers. Had the new ‘most wins’ system been in place last year, then British driver Lewis Hamilton would not have been crowned champion.
The title would instead have gone to Felipe Massa, who won the final race of the season in Brazil last year but was pipped to the title by a single point when Hamilton came in fifth.
Had the new rule changes also been in place throughout history, British 80s racing legend Nigel Mansell would have won the championship three times instead of just once. Stirling Moss, often hailed as the greatest driver never to win a Formula One title would have been crowned champion in 1958.
Back in January, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone had championed a medals system which would reward drivers making the podium spots but not recognise spots outside of the top three for points.
Mr Ecclestone’s idea was panned two months ago but a step forward to the present day and the new system is very close to what he originally envisaged.
Mr Ecclestone said he was delighted with the decision: “The idea is to get people racing,” he said in an interview with the BBC. He promised the new system would make F1 more exciting and avoid situations were drivers “settle” for second place.
