Author Topic: Formula 1 rules won't go ahead  (Read 918 times)

celeste

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Formula 1 rules won't go ahead
« on: 22:57:10, 21/03/09 »


Plans to award the World Title on wins alone have been shelved

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone will have to wait at least another 12 months for the "real racing" he craves.

Plans to award the world title on the basis of wins alone were shelved on Friday after the Formula One Teams' Association successfully claimed they were invalid.

Ecclestone was a happy man earlier this week when the World Motor Sport Council agreed to implement a change to the current points system he proposed months ago.

Even before Lewis Hamilton won last year's title by a single point from Felipe Massa, despite winning only five races compared to the Brazilian's six, Ecclestone was seeking to end 59 years of history.

The 78-year-old proposed an Olympic-style medals affair, with the drivers awarded gold, silver and bronze for first, second and third, with the champion naturally the one with the most golds.

So, when the WMSC, the decision-making body of the FIA, agreed to a variation of his plan - just without the medals - he believed it to be the right move.

"What it does is make the drivers bloody well go for the win rather than settle for second," remarked Ecclestone at the time.

"It will be real racing, which is good for the fans and the sport."

However, that is not the way it was viewed as a raft of criticism followed, notably from the drivers themselves, including reigning world champion Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Mark Webber, as well as Michael Schumacher.

FOTA launched an official protest, claiming the new 'winner-takes-all' system had no validity for this season as the FIA had not followed their own rulebook.

FOTA's assertion is that the FIA had implemented a new regulation within such close proximity to the start of the new season without consent from all the teams, and therefore no change could occur.

The WMSC had initially been told the teams were on board before voting on the matter, only to find out otherwise later.

FOTA's statement clearly suggests they were not in favour, forcing the FIA into an embarrassing climbdown.

The WMSC's statement read: "If, for any reason, the Formula One teams do not now agree with the new system, its implementation will be deferred until 2010."

That is a fait accompli given FOTA's stance and it means the status quo will be maintained until next season.

What happens then is open to debate because the FIA could decide to belligerently push through the 'race-wins' system regardless of the views of FOTA.

FOTA, who had suggested - on the basis of a worldwide fans' survey - the top three drivers collect 12, nine and seven points rather than the current 10, eight and six, are hoping to sit down with the FIA to discuss the way ahead.

The concluding paragraph in their statement that paved the way for yet another topsy-turvy day in F1 makes apparent the need for consultation.

"The teams wish to reaffirm their willingness to collaborate with the FIA in order to jointly define a new point system for the 2010 season within a comprehensive set of measures aimed at further stimulating the attractiveness of the F1 sport," it read.

If the teams do not like Ecclestone's idea, and the FIA do not want FOTA's plan, perhaps a spread of points such as 14, 10, seven might be the order of the day.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone will have to wait at least another 12 months for the "real racing" he craves.

Plans to award the world title on the basis of wins alone were shelved yesterday after the Formula One Teams' Association successfully claimed they were invalid.

Ecclestone was a happy man earlier this week when the World Motor Sport Council agreed to implement a change to the current points system he proposed months ago.

Even before Lewis Hamilton won last year's title by a single point from Felipe Massa, despite winning only five races compared to the Brazilian's six, Ecclestone was seeking to end 59 years of history.

The 78-year-old proposed an Olympic-style medals affair, with the drivers awarded gold, silver and bronze for first, second and third, with the champion naturally the one with the most golds.

So, when the WMSC, the decision-making body of the FIA, agreed to a variation of his plan - just without the medals - he believed it to be the right move.

"What it does is make the drivers bloody well go for the win rather than settle for second," remarked Ecclestone at the time.

"It will be real racing, which is good for the fans and the sport."

However, that is not the way it was viewed as a raft of criticism followed, notably from the drivers themselves, including reigning world champion Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button and Mark Webber, as well as Michael Schumacher.

FOTA launched an official protest, claiming the new 'winner-takes-all' system had no validity for this season as the FIA had not followed their own rulebook.

FOTA's assertion is that the FIA had implemented a new regulation within such close proximity to the start of the new season without consent from all the teams, and therefore no change could occur.

The WMSC had initially been told the teams were on board before voting on the matter, only to find out otherwise later.

FOTA's statement clearly suggests they were not in favour, forcing the FIA into an embarrassing climbdown.

The WMSC's statement read: "If, for any reason, the Formula One teams do not now agree with the new system, its implementation will be deferred until 2010."

That is a fait accompli given FOTA's stance and it means the status quo will be maintained until next season.

What happens then is open to debate because the FIA could decide to belligerently push through the 'race-wins' system regardless of the views of FOTA.

FOTA, who had suggested - on the basis of a worldwide fans' survey - the top three drivers collect 12, nine and seven points rather than the current 10, eight and six, are hoping to sit down with the FIA to discuss the way ahead.

The concluding paragraph in their statement that paved the way for yet another topsy-turvy day in F1 makes apparent the need for consultation.

"The teams wish to reaffirm their willingness to collaborate with the FIA in order to jointly define a new point system for the 2010 season within a comprehensive set of measures aimed at further stimulating the attractiveness of the F1 sport," it read.

If the teams do not like Ecclestone's idea, and the FIA do not want FOTA's plan, perhaps a spread of points such as 14, 10, seven might be the order of the day
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