Marcus Gronholm says the WRC’s F1-style scoring system does not award enough points for victory, but Subaru’s Petter Solberg is in favour of crediting drivers for finishing in the top eight.
Marcus Gronholm says the WRC’s F1-style scoring system does not award enough points for victory, but Subaru’s Petter Solberg is in favour of crediting drivers for finishing in the top eight.
WRC champion Gronholm and his Peugeot’s team-mate Richard Burns have differing opinions on the new system, which gives 10 points for a victory and eight for second place. Gronholm feels it doesn’t reward the winner of a rally enough, while Burns said the system rewards speed and consistency as well.
Speaking to on Wednesday, Solberg said that drivers should not just look at their own situation, but how the points system affected the whole championship.
“I don’t care about the points system,” Solberg was quoted as saying. “I just do my job and there is no point in to get annoyed about something that is already there.
“You have to score as many points as you can anyway, but I think maybe you should not just think about yourself but all the teams. It is much more fun for any driver to have some points and something to aim for. I think everybody needs to have a bit of inspiration.
“For a team that is maybe not at the top they get some points with this system,” he added. “And in the future they maybe get a bigger budget, which is good for everyone. We need excitement: that’s what people want and that’s how it should be.”
After four rallies, Burns leads Gronholm by six points, following his podium finishes on the past three rallies. However, under the old system, Gronholm would have a two point advantage over Burns thanks to his two wins in Sweden and New Zealand. Solberg would be eighth overall in the championship under both systems.