New F1 Points System To Decide Champion
After much build-up by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, the sport has introduced a new points system that will see the driver with most wins crowned 2009 champion.
While Ecclestone’s unique proposal – which would award the top three drivers with gold, silver and bronze medals with the driver capturing the most golds winning the World Championship – has not been approved, the new system delivers on his desire to crown the driver with the most victories.
Had this system been in place in 2008, Lewis Hamilton would not have won the World Championship.
The new rules, however, could see the season ending earlier that usual, as the points system was originally introduced to ensure the world championship would stay open for longer.
In addition to the new rules, F1 also announced that there will be an optional budget cap of £30m starting from 2010. For some of the richer teams, this would mean a budget cut of almost 90%.
Teams that opt to act within the new budget cap will be allowed more technical freedom such as a more aerodynamically efficient underbody, movable wings, and an engine that does not have a rev limit or development freeze.
F1 has claimed the new finance limit will make the sport more accessible to new teams.
The F1 teams’ association, FOTA , however, has expressed its concern for this new rule, despite agreeing to a hefty load of cost-cutting measures last year, claiming that it will make the sport less popular to fans.
