The F1 Olympics: Bernie wants to scrap points, use a medal system in 2009
The points system used by Formula 1 has been the subject of debate for years. When the system was expanded after 2002 and began offering points up to eighth position, people thought that would create more suspense since Michael Schumacher was running off with the trophies every year. It didn't work, and now with Schumacher gone, all the points system tends to reward is consistency over winning. Lewis Hamilton won five races this year and Felipe Massa won six, but Lewis Hamilton is the world champion because he scored more points.
F1 impresario Bernie Ecclestone wants to move to a medal system next year, awarding gold, bronze and silver to the top three finishers. The guy with the most gold at the end wins the championship. If that had been in place for this year, Felipe would have won the championship. If Lewis had won the last race in Brazil, he and Felipe would have been tied on gold medals and tied on silver medals, but Lewis has one more bronze medal (third place) than Felipe, so Hamilton would be champion. Will it happen? Bernie says the teams are behind it, so it only awaits a vote from the World Motorsport Council.
[Source: F1 Live]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mobius_1 8:09AM (11/20/2008)
Well, I think this might be a good way to encourage overtaking in the front, since its 1st to 3rd or nothing. BUT what is that gonna do to the rest of the field? They are going to have nothing to play for and not try so hard to make F1 a spectacle.
Bernie, that won't do.
Reply
geo.stewart 8:55AM (11/20/2008)
just do like NASCAR and award bonus points for winning a race.
while the chase is debatable, the bonus points are actually a good idea. It rewards winning but doesnt snub consistency totally either.
I'm sorry, a guy who finishes the season with 3.0 ave. finish and no wins is a better racer than someone who wins one race on a fluke but sits mired in the field week in and week out
noodlz 12:54PM (11/20/2008)
It's fine the way it is. It rewards the front runners, and doesn't reward backmarkers and wrecked cars (like NASCAR). If you want to reward finishing in the top 3, simply increase the points rewarded for finishing that high.
20-15-10-5-4-3-2-1
Franz 1:18PM (11/20/2008)
They have not thought this through. Do you realize that under these rules, Alonso would have placed 4th in the championship this year just because of his 2 late wins? He'd have placed higher than Kubica.
Also, they say it'll help promote overtaking. Maybe at the front of the pack, but if you're already outside the top three, what point is there if at the end of the day you're gonna be in the same boat anyways? And if your race position stil affects your overall standing, how is it any different to just keeping the points format? This is a dumb idea.
Richard 8:10AM (11/20/2008)
Once again, Bernie is on the bleeding edge.
As world financial markets continue to collapse, we'll all be headed back to the gold standard anyway so this makes perfect sense.
NOT!
Actually, the way to stop this is that someone needs to tell Max Mosely that using images of medals in the F1 scoreboards printed around the world every other Monday uses metallic-pigmented inks and that's bad for the environment. Max will immediately demand that F1 Team develop a new ink to improve F1s environmental image. Bernie will be stopped and all will be well.
Ha! Ha!
Reply
Yago Bal 8:16AM (11/20/2008)
That would allow for more interesting battles for the podium... and that's all. The rest of the field would just cruise around, as a 4th place would be as good as a 20th.
IMHO, it's quite stupid.
But not surprising, seeing where it's coming from...
We need more points distributed down the field (up to 10th, maybe) to justify some field battle and a proper advantage for the first places, so that it matters to risk for a better position (maybe a 20-15-12-10-7-5-4-3-2-1 system).
...and remove the fuel mystery from the last qualifying session.
(...and loose all the limiting rules:
just limit the amount of fuel available for a race, the car's dimensions, and provide safety rules. Then, let the teams use their money and develop technology as they please).
Reply
TexRob 8:18AM (11/20/2008)
Regardless of who you feel should have won this year (frankly I think it was a bad idea to even bring that up in the blog post), the system that is in place is pretty solid. Like Mobius said above, this makes it really stupid for anyone not in the top spots. Do you think Fernando Alonso would have fought so hard if it weren't for the points for 4-8? He would not have turned that team around most likely.
Bernie has wanted this medal system, and he is hoping all the Massa fans will jump on his coattails with his loss fresh in their minds. To not reward consistency is absurd. If someone got 2nd place every single race, and never got first place in a season, they would deservingly win. A race is about first place and being GREAT, a season is about being consistently GOOD.
Reply
Tim 8:26AM (11/20/2008)
Bernie REALLY, REALLY needs to retire.
Reply
hyundaifans.com 4:42PM (11/20/2008)
+1
John Johnson 8:31AM (11/20/2008)
"Damn, guys, Ferrari lost.... How could we fix this? He would have won if we did the medals system... let's do that."
They'll probably make it retroactive to last season too ;)
I like a guy who finishes 2nd every race of the season. I'd rather see him win than a guy who finishes in first every other race.
How about constructors championship points?
Like stated above, this system offers NO incentive for the mid-pack action.
Reply
mancini 9:22AM (11/20/2008)
Are you serious?
"Oh no! This is a big Ferrari conspiracy again!"
What a a joke.
Dave 8:39AM (11/20/2008)
Formula 1 points system: please see MotoGP.
Reply
Kitko 9:00AM (11/20/2008)
The trouble with current moto GP is that most of the field gets points...
berne1 8:39AM (11/20/2008)
I, too, have never understood the reasons that it's "bad" that the winner of the Driver's Championship didn't necessarily win the most races. So what!
If Hamilton won the championship and had one fewer race win than Massa, why would things suddenly need to change? Does he also want to change the rules for the Constructors' Championship? It's just silly.
Reply
John Johnson 8:45AM (11/20/2008)
He doesn't want to change the Constructors Title system let, Ferrari won that ;)
ack154 8:41AM (11/20/2008)
This just sounds complete asinine. Medals? Is he f-ing serious?
Why would the rest of the field even bother trying?
Reply
kevjohn 11:52AM (11/20/2008)
For the chicks, man.
Daniel Hammerberg 9:09AM (11/20/2008)
What geo.stewart said
Reply
ken_aisin 9:44AM (11/20/2008)
The manufacturers should reconsider starting a new league if Max and Bernie have no plans to retire. These two are turning the sport into a circus.... or should I say, freak show.....
Reply
Bondtastic 9:45AM (11/20/2008)
While we are making up stupid rules, why not have a relegation section. If you are the last three teams you get dropped to GP2, and those guys get to move up to F1 with fully provided spec chassis and those sealed engines you have been talking so much about!
I think Shumacher was the smartest man in F1 when he got out before it became really pointless.
Reply