The Formula One Commission, comprised of the sport’s major stakeholders, has agreed a number of proposals for last-minute revisions to the 2010 regulations. Among them are further changes to the points system and to the tyre rules. The proposals will be put to the FIA World Motor Sport Council for approval later this week.
The points system has already been altered for 2010 so that the top ten, rather than the top eight finishers score at each Grand Prix. This is due to the expansion of the grid to 13 teams. Now the allocation of points is set to be changed to encourage drivers to race to win. Formula 1
The new system will see places rewarded in a 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 sequence.
F1 bosses believe a seven-point gap between first and second place, rather than the current two-point separation, will promote a ‘race-to-win’ attitude.
New tyre rules mean drivers must start races on the same tyres they set their grid time in, while ‘double diffusers’ will be banned from 2011.
Scoring changes have been suggested several times over the past year and two months ago the F1 Commission initially opted for a 25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1 format.
However, the disparity of points between the top three was no greater in percentage terms than the 10-8-6 system currently used.
Previously, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone tried to introduce a medals system, with the championship being decided by race victories rather than cumulative points, but the idea did not catch on with teams. BBC Sport
Jenson Button would still have captured the 2009 championship with the new system, but by a greater margin over Sebastian Vettel.
“It’s a good decision to change this points system,” Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said. “The reason for it is we are pushing for more overtaking manoeuvrs. We just hope this will be the case.”
FIA is also proposing to have the top-10 race qualifiers start on their qualifying tires, while the rest of the field could use new tires. F1 will also reduce the number of dry weather tires available to teams to “encourage teams to run during the Friday practice sessions.”
“We’re not 100 per cent sure on this yet,” Tost said of having to race on the tires used in qualifying, although he did believe this would make races more interesting. The Canadian Press
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