Throughout the Chinese language Grand Prix, a weekend the place groups and drivers obtained a chance to attain a lot extra factors then common – with an additional eight on provide to the winner of the Dash and a return for everybody right down to eighth place on the Saturday – it emerged that there could possibly be additional adjustments on that entrance subsequent season.
The F1 Fee meets on Thursday by video convention to debate a variety of matters regarding Method 1 and its future, with completely different rules normally among the many speaking factors. This week the topic of point-scoring right down to twelfth place in a grand prix has been tabled.
F1’s level system was once fairly sacred, with the highest six drivers scoring from 1960 by means of to 2002. The one adjustments in that point had been the return for the winner growing from eight, to 9, after which to 10, plus the variety of race outcomes you might rely in direction of your complete evolving.
Then in 2003 it was opened as much as the highest eight drivers, and adjustments have been extra frequent since then. That also noticed 10 factors for a win till 2010, when the present reward of 25 factors to the winner was launched, and factors paid all the way in which right down to tenth place.
The final change was the return of the purpose for quickest lap in the event you end within the prime ten, that got here again in 2019.
F1’s newest thought – or a minimum of the one raised by a staff – is to retain the 25 factors for a win system and never change the scoring for the highest seven positions, however then adapt it as follows under that: P8 – 5 factors (as an alternative of 4)
P9 – 4 factors (as an alternative of two)
P10 – three factors (as an alternative of 1)
P11 – two factors
P12 – one level
The considering behind the proposal is easy. At a time when F1 has turn out to be more and more aggressive and vehicles extra dependable, the highest 5 of Crimson Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin invariably account for all the factors in the event that they end a race. But the remaining 5 groups are extraordinarily intently matched, and sometimes combating fiercely within the hope of one thing taking place to one of many prime 5 to supply up some extent.
You solely want to take a look at the instance of Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen in China – admittedly this one involving an Aston Martin – to see how nice the racing might be however for what are usually seen as meaningless positions additional down the sector.
If you happen to prolong how far factors go down, then there could be a clear, tangible reward for extra of the battles that happen. And the knock-on affect of that’s it’s extra doubtless that groups will probably be separated by precise factors within the constructors’ championship on the finish of the season, fairly than rely again of eleventh, twelfth and Thirteenth-place finishes after scoreless years.
That stated, scoreless years have turn out to be much less frequent, with solely two events previously eight seasons the place there’s been a staff that hasn’t scored at some stage, and each of these years concerned only one staff lacking out.
Which brings me to the counter argument, that scoring some extent was once a serious achievement in F1, and one thing to be celebrated by itself. It was a particularly robust end result to get, and led to moments reminiscent of Mark Webber standing on the Australian Grand Prix podium after securing a fifth place – and two factors with it – for Minardi again in 2002.
Factors had been awarded to the highest six from 1960-2002, that means it was tougher for smaller groups to attain factors – like Mark Webber did for Minardi on the Australian Grand Prix in 2002. Motorsport Photographs
That was the final yr solely the highest six scored, and once more all groups picked up a minimum of two factors that season, regardless of Arrows disappearing halfway by means of the yr.
However have a look again by means of the outcomes and have a look at the large fee of attrition that there was once.
In probably the most dependable race – Hungary – there have been 16 finishers, whereas the least variety of vehicles reaching the checkered flag was eight out of twenty-two in Australia (that wasn’t a fluke both, with 9 of twenty-two ending in Spain and Germany).
With the way in which the game has developed and the rules which now make reliability such a key part, the way in which outcomes are rewarded must be revisited, too. 24 races will all the time imply extra probability of each staff scoring in some unspecified time in the future, however they need to all be inspired to combat for each place and each end always.
Utilizing the Chinese language Grand Prix instance as soon as once more, Daniel Ricciardo’s automobile was retired because of the lack of efficiency he had after choosing up harm within the race, however penalties for Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant made being categorised in 14th place an actual risk, had he continued.
Then you definately simply want one collision between two vehicles combating arduous for factors, and also you’re within the prime 12. Such a change will result in extra events the place groups are incentivized to maintain a automobile within the race simply in case some extent finally ends up being on provide, fairly than it being so clearly out of attain as is commonly the state of affairs now.
The larger outcomes nonetheless include the largest rewards as nicely, however consistency over a season is extra more likely to be rewarded underneath the brand new proposal. If the sixth-fastest staff often finishes eleventh however the one time a top-six result’s on provide it’s taken by a rival, then presently that may affect the complete consequence of the yr.
After all that may nonetheless occur for a staff ending Thirteenth most frequently, however it simply extends how far down you usually tend to really feel such as you get what you deserve, and arguably these closing constructors’ championship positions – and related prize cash – are extra useful to the smaller groups additional again.
It’s not simply the smaller groups which might be backing the thought, both, as one boss from a prime 5 staff instructed me they help the proposal and suppose it can get the six votes from groups required for it to cross for 2025.
That’s regardless of entry charges primarily based on factors scored making certain this may doubtless price groups cash in some eventualities, however that means the FIA isn’t going to oppose it, both.
In a great world, F1 needs extra groups combating for podiums and victories, and the sector unfold is far nearer than previously, however reliability and consistency has meant that even small margins are sufficient to create dominance and predictability. No person’s miles adrift on the again, even when Crimson Bull is miles forward on the entrance.
And whereas dominance has all the time been a consider F1, the game has modified a lot from when it was solely the highest six scoring. Amid that nearer subject, let’s give extra drivers extra to combat for.
