F1 rejects radical change

**knee doc** · 28th October 2002

Formula One bosses have shied away from making radical changes to the sport for next season.
The biggest changes agreed at a meeting on Monday were to qualifying, the rule on team orders and the points system.

The more radical options on the agenda were all voted down.

These had included proposals for drivers to swap teams during the season and for ballast to be added to cars corresponding to the amount of championship points scored.

The changes agreed are as follows:

...The single one-hour session on a Saturday has been abandoned in favour of two one-hour sessions - one each on Friday and Saturday. Cars will go out one at a time for single flying laps.

...The points system will change in a bid to keep the championship open for as long as possible and to award points down to eighth place rather than sixth.
The new system awards 10 points for a win, and will then go eight, six, five, four, three, two and one.

...Team orders that affect race results have been banned.

...The Belgian Grand Prix has been struck off the calendar because of a row over tobacco advertising.

...Tyre companies will be allowed to custom-make tyres for each team they supply.
The desire to make changes had come after Ferrari's domination of the 2002 season led to a decline in TV viewing figures.

The changes amount to a compromise between the desire for an upheaval to inject new life into F1 and a wish to keep F1 true to its original spirit.

The changes to qualifying and team orders are the biggest shift from the past.

F1 had two-day qualifying as recently as 1995, but this is the first time that it has moved away from the idea of having all the cars qualifying at the same time.

Under the new system, the cars will run on Friday in championship order.

The times set on Friday will then define the order in which the drivers go out on Saturday.

The fastest driver on Friday will go out last on Saturday, the second fastest on Friday, second last and so on.

Next year will also be the first time that teams will not be able to decide which of their drivers will be able to win a race if they are running first and second.

The new rule has been prompted by Ferrari's controversial manipulation of several race results in 2002.

It remains to be seen if they will find a way around the new rule.

**jonathant** · 28th October 2002

I like the idea of changing the points system and am glad the ballast and swapping drivers ideas have been dropped. I am looking forward to next season.
I also noticed an advert in the paper yesterday for the F1 awards night wouldn't mind going seeeing some of the drivers

**Morpheus** · 28th October 2002

Its simple, to make F1 interesting again just get rid of the electronic's (traction control, launch control ect...) go back to a manual gearboxs.
Lets find out who the best driver is not who's got the best electrics.
Get back to basics

**denix** · 31st October 2002

At last, heroic drives to seventh place will be rewarded. At least that's something.

I agree with you... Plus:

Ban pit-to-driver radios. Make them tell 'em everything via the pit boards. Then the world would know if team orders were being played with. (And it would make tactics more interesting)
Bring back slick tyres. (More mechanical grip = more overtaking)
Restrict aerodynamics (Less turbulent air and reliance on downforce = more overtaking)

And yeah.. Ban electronics too.

Alternatively, here are my plans for an alternative championship...

Ban spectators (for safety) - have it on the telly only
Ban drivers (for safety) - their egos only get in the way anyway
First car round the track 50 times wins
If no car completes 50 laps, the car that gets the furthest distance wins.
NO OTHER RULES

That would get the ratings up.

**marcode** · 31st October 2002

mmm.. sounds like they made some decent changes.. not all of the ones id LIKE to see, but this should make next season a bit better than last... hell lets face it, it couldnt have gotten any worse! :rolls:

**4me2** · 1st November 2002

Originally posted by marcode
mmm.. sounds like they made some decent changes.. not all of the ones id LIKE to see, but this should make next season a bit better than last... hell lets face it, it couldnt have gotten any worse! :rolls:

if you want to make next season better then break Schitmachers legs both of them this time.

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