The World Motor Sport Council has decreed that this year’s Formula One drivers’ champion will be the driver who scores the most victories, but, as a long-time F1 aficionado, I have mixed feelings!Ever-unpredictable, the World Motor Sport Council has also decreed that the current points scoring format will be retained to determine the other positions, and to decide the overall winner in the event of a tie in the number of wins. The change of heart comes after earlier requests by Bernie Ecclestone to change to a medals system, and a recommendation by FOTA, the teams’ association, to increase the number of points awarded for a win to 12.
Pundits point out that, under this system, Felipe Massa would have been world champion last year instead of Lewis Hamilton, that Ayrton Senna would have taken four titles, Alain Prost would retain his tally of four – though two of them would have been in different years.
Nigel Mansell would have taken three crowns and Stirling Moss would have ousted Mike Hawthorn as Britain’s first world champion back in 1958. Among the losers would have been Nelson Piquet Sr and Niki Lauda, down to one title each, and Keke Rosberg and our own Jody Scheckter, who would have lost their titles.
But I think such comments are specious. What people aren’t taking into account is the fact that that all of these drivers raced according to the system in place in a given year, and planned their strategies accordingly. The same applies to the changes in points allocations that have been made during F1 history.
I must say, I have mixed feelings about the new system. It will certainly encourage drivers to race to win, creating more excitement. But it is going to compromise the wiley strategists, such as the Laudas and Piquet Srs of this world.
I suspect it will also play into the hands of the young guns. If you look at Prost’s situation, he would have won earlier in his career, in 1983, taking the title from Piquet, and in 1984 (Lauda), but lost his “tactical” titles won in 1986 (probably his greatest achievement, as it was won in a McLaren TAG Porsche, which certainly wasn’t the best on the grid) and 1989 (when he collided with Senna at Suzuka).
On the other hand, I think modern F1 needs a bit of “slam-bang”. Can’t wait for Melbourne on March 29.
