I suppose the idea behind doubling the points for the final race might not be about keeping viewers interested so much as getting the teams to continue to work on improvements right up to the end rather than diverting all their resources to preparing for the next season. Might improve late season competition, I suppose, and viewer interest as a result...maybe. Hmmm...if that's the case it seems to me the teams are a bit more likely to care because of the big money awarded for the constructor's championship, points for which are also doubled, rather than the drivers' numbers which are more about prestige. Yet all the pundits are focused on this sort of thing.
One very unfortunate aspect of this biz is they're going to award twice as many points for winning Abu Dhabi (!) than __(fill in the blank with the name of any of the more deserving tracks)__. Spa, Monza, Silverstone, Suzuka, Austin, etc, all worth less than Abu Dhabi! I picture in my head a meeting between Muppet Head Bernie and the folks who write the checks to host the Abu Dhabi race. Bernie tells them about the plan to award double points for the last race and then tells them how much they'll have to pay to get that last, special spot on the calendar. "Sold, where do we sign?"
Boy I think Spa should be double points if any race has them. That is one tough track. I'll claim #33 it's the number I had on my race car back in the dark ages. There were no assigned numbers back then, you put what you wanted on the entry form & hoped you got it. The reason I chose it was back then most folks cut their own numbers & no one used the #3 because it was harder to cut out. Never had to redo my numbers with duct tape in the paddock.
I'll claim 69 because somebody has to. The double points is just another way to stop the dominant team from winning. It's just like what they did when Ferrari was winning. The current points system came in then along with grooved tires, narrower tires, narrower cars, 1 tire per race, and reduced downforce. Only this time they are doing it all at once. "We must STOP the BULL!"
I don't see how it would have changed one single thing as far as Vettel is concerned, matter fact considering his winning streak down the stretch, it would have served little more than to have widened his gap on the rest of the field as far as points are concerned.... What made for some of the teams not investing in trying to catch Vettel in the last third of the season had little to do with the points system and everything to do with the major rule changes in 2014. With very little that would carry over to next year's formula, it was all about where to invest your money long term. On a package that will be useless in just a few races, or on the package that will be for the next few season (save a Bernie brainfart).... With money at a premium as usual, most chose the long term investment.
I think you're right. I was trying to imagine a reasonable motive for this change but it's probably just another attempt to "improve the show." :rolleyes5: Next on the agenda, a resurrection of Bernie's artificial rain idea.
I know Bernie is crazy, but heck rain makes a better race. Have the sprinkles pop up at unknown intervals. Like when the field heads for turn one on the first lap. :lol:
Next Up....Budget Caps FIA to institute budget cap for Formula One teams beginning in 2015 Amount teams will be allowed to spend will be determined before in mid-2014 A cost cap in Formula One is coming, the FIA said in a surprising announcement on Monday. Although many teams are facing financial difficulties, the idea of compulsorily capping annual budgets has remained highly controversial. But FIA president Jean Todt told France's L'Equipe last week: "We need to focus on the problem of costs at all levels of motor sport, not only Formula One." So, after a Paris meeting of the sport's new strategy group and the F1 Commission, and with Todt declaring a "mandate," the sport's governing body said the "principle of a global cost cap has been adopted" for F1. "The limit will be applied from January 2015," the FIA said in a press release. "A working group will be established within the coming days comprising the FIA, representatives of the Commercial Rights Holder and Team representatives. The objective of the working group will be to have regulations approved by the end of June 2014." Current F1 team budgets are believed to range from about $60 million at the back of the grid, to several hundred million for the top spending teams, Red Bull and Ferrari. "If we're all at $50-100 million budgets, the show will be no different at all," Caterham boss Cyril Abiteboul argued recently. The actual dollar amount eventually set for the cap is therefore the crucial detail. "In the end," Lotus chief Eric Boullier added, "if we don't do this, it's going to be more and more difficult to survive." Source: FIA to institute budget cap for Formula One teams for 2015 - Autoweek Racing F1 news - Autoweek
Time flies. I wasn't expecting to see anything like this so soon. Sauber's 2014 F1 chassis passes crash test (GPUpdate.net)
Another surprise. Click the link at the end if you'd like to apply. FIA opens selection process for new team (GPUpdate.net)
Mario said Michael would be all oer having a team if there were customer cars. My take is that these would still be mid-pack teams at best. You really think Ferrari is going to sell all the latest and greatest go ever so slightly faster parts to their customers.
..and the new team will get double points if they beat Redbull in any race during the course of the season.