Results of todays FIA meeting

[touringlegend]

Isn't the whole point of the new qualifying so that people have a reason to turn up on the Friday and be guarenteed some action, this year you'd get some teams who maybe wouldn't run too much to conserve tyres etc.

Overall I think qually is a big improvement, you can bet your life that somebody ie Montoya will push too far and lose it and muck up his qually lap - can you imagine what effect this may have on the race??

If they are to get one lap each they won't get in each others way, then we can't get the excuses from some that so and so got in their way...

Points for 7th and 8th now...all that's to do is keep another manufacturer happy...

[Adam43]

Minardi might like this testing rule to get more running on Friday and save cash for the rest of the year. But I would imagine that the big teams will stay as they are.

I think it needs three or four teams to sign up to it to be implemented.

[Tom Fuller]

I don't think the points system is correct, if you WIN the GP you should get an award. Before next season, the victory gave you 4 more points than if you finished second, which is what should happen because they deserve the more points. So should it be 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1?

[Adam43]

Originally posted by touringlegend
If they are to get one lap each they won't get in each others way, then we can't get the excuses from some that so and so got in their way...

But the exuces will be that the track/weather got better/worse or that the bloke ahead dropped some oil/brought stones onto the track.

[Sato san]

at least they are trying to offer the fans something......ok , it may not be enough , but its a start.

[R]

Originally posted by Tom Fuller
I don't think the points system is correct, if you WIN the GP you should get an award. Before next season, the victory gave you 4 more points than if you finished second, which is what should happen because they deserve the more points. So should it be 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1?

Absolutely. I agree completely. The points difference between 1st and 2nd should remain the same - after all, with 12 to 8 it would relatively speaking be closer than 10 to 6 anyway. 12 points for a win is what it should be!

Actually, the change in the point scoring system to give points to the top 8 is exactly what I've said should be done - I think it's a lot fairer actually, and rewards the consistent good finishers (top 10 scoring would be too much), so I'm happy about that change.

The new qualifying procedure sounds exciting. With just one flying lap, I can see lots of excitement and diversified grids. Will Montoya go off in his chase for pole? I think this will be one of the big questions on each qualifying Saturday next season. Drivers who go off will automatically have to start from the back of the grid - this could, and will produce some interesting grid lineups.

"Banning of team orders" is a grey area, like someone said above. I think the "hold station" team order will be allowed, as it probably can't be proved. And as Craig said, Austria was an "honest" cheat - with all the technology used today, it will be easy for the teams to implement team orders without anyone on the outside noticing. Just turn down Rubens' fuel pressure, for example. An orchestrated finish will be just as probable, it just won't be done in such an obvious manner.

But, as has also been said, there are a lot of things which could have been done to improve racing, which hasn't been addressed. We all know what those are: Bring back slicks, wide track cars, reduce downforce, ban electronic driver aids, etc. Sadly, it doesn't seem as if the powers that be were interested in looking at the technical aspects at this crossroads.

Btw, Alchemy, I made a couple of slight alterations to your post. Some of us can read backwards, you know.

[Speedworx]

Should be a lot better than this season was. Roll on 2003

[Adam43]

Next season could well be better, but IMO it will not be down to these rule changes, which have not addressed the issues that needed addressing.

All I can see at the moment is the lack of Spa. And that doesn't seem a lot better.

[Kex]

Hmmmmm....

Originally posted by R
"..it will be easy for the teams to implement team orders without anyone on the outside noticing. Just turn down Rubens' fuel pressure, for example.

After reading the above bit of R's post, I now think that radios and all electronical communication with the car should be got rid of. Then there would actually be some point in the jobs of the people wielding the pitboards.

[Minardi fan]

Points change is good and bad... whilst the top 8 scoring gives Minardi and co. a chance to score more often to spice up the mid/rear field action, the value of 1st has gone... it should definitely go up to 12 points for a win. But I'm all for the top 8 scoring.

The qualifying shoot out... it sounds fun... we'll see...

BUT...

Where are the CRUCIAL changes, as mentioned by others before? Aerodynamics, electronics, slicks... oh hell, what a missed opportunity to really make F1 great again.

And as for banning team orders - again, the point has already been made - who on earth can check that this isn't going on in some way? Ridiculous.

[Speed Demon]

I actually like the proposed changes - they went further than I was expecting. That said, I'd still like some fundamental technical changes to be made, slashing downforce. I've often thought that there should be a greater number of points awarded and I think the system chosen will help tighten things up. And even with this new system, Schumacher would have been a dominant champion, but we would at least had to work a little harder for longer to secure the title.

One shot showdown qualifying is a great idea to my mind and works well in Superbike racing, so why not F1?

[Ian Smith]

As far as I am concerned F.I.A. stands for;
FARCICAL IDIOTIC ACTIONS.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Inigo Montoya
Hehehe... I like the part about team orders being banned. As if they will have any way of knowing who is or isn't implementing them.

I bet that Rubens just knows that he's facing a few botched pitstops next year

[avsfan733]

why not change the way the TV money is based entirely. Why does Ferrari get "x billion dollars" when they are so far ahead that no one cares and the tele doeasn't show them except for the last 10 seconds of the final lap when they swap positions. The TV money should be based on something logical.... maybe TV coverage. This wouldn't be a perfect system because of situations like Japan and its "hometown hero" deal with Sato but i would be more fair to give teams money for making it a fun race to watch not just a rout. The more a car is on TV the more money the team gets, simple as that

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Tom Fuller
I don't think the points system is correct, if you WIN the GP you should get an award. Before next season, the victory gave you 4 more points than if you finished second, which is what should happen because they deserve the more points. So should it be 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1?

Tom, the idea of this "shake up" is the close the gap, not leave it as the same. Awarding 12 points to the winner (tgf) will still mean that he wins the WDC by a big margin.

[Adam43]

I think I like a more uniform system. However I will say this:

Michael Schumacher dominated this year's championship which means that he should win it by a big margin! If there is a poimts system that stops this then it is clearly a bad one!

[Speed Demon]

Yes, but this year's results calculated along the new system show Shcumacher wins by a clear 63 points, as opposed to 67 points. So there is little difference at the top. It is the back of the grid that benefits from this without the championship outcome being at stake.

[Speed Demon]

I think some people are averse to change. Perhaps we should still use 8 points for a win, 6 for second, 4 for third, three for fourth and two for fifth with one for fastest lap? That, historically, is the 'proper' F1 scoring system. Give me the new one any day.

[Adam43]

Michael not only won the most races, but also had remarkable reliability.

A more uniform system rewards consistency. Michael had this more than anyone else year too! It is not surprising it makes little difference.

[Speed Demon]

Well isn't consistency also a hallmark of greatness?

[R]

In this case, it is also the hallmark of reliability to the extreme, something which drivers from only 2 or 3 years ago could barely dream of.

[ASCII Man]

Originally posted by mr v
I bet that Rubens just knows that he's facing a few botched pitstops next year

Hmmm...

Ross:"Rubens, you'll have to come in for a stop, there is a squashed fly on the rear wing that could prove to be dangerous..."

[Liz]

Banning team orders does one thing immediately: It defines team orders as cheating. Everyone believed it was cheating (not everyone, but most everyone) before this, but now it IS cheating. And since we all know there is only one team that employes it, 1,000,000,000 eyes on that one team will keep them quasi-honest. It will not stop them completely; people who want to cheat WILL cheat. But it will make them have to work much harder to do it without being caught and roasted.

The question is, what is the penalty if they do get caught?

The other stuff is just turning F1 into drag racing, and the ultimate result of that will be that qualifying will still be more exciting than actual races. I'd buy a ticket to see only qualifying and skip the race altogether, because on any given day, TGF can fall off the track or Trulli can suddenly get hooked up and overwhelm the field.

And Rubens has beaten TGF over one lap many, many times; and sometimes TGF tries too hard when it's obvious he is being beaten ... yes, this could be one way to put showmanship back into the "show."

And finally, extending the points simply stops TGF from amassing half of all the points on offer, which was both humiliating and shameful as well as boring. Why not give Minardi a couple of lollipops instead of making them stand outside the candy store watching TGF gobble down all the goodies because he's got a big wallet and they don't?

[greg.n]

The whole thing does not go far enough. If they were really interested in improving the show they could have implemented a few things they haven't thought of and a few things they did, but didn't go ahead with. Its probably because the teams in front with vested interests in staying there and dominating racing through their research and development facilities wouldn't agree to them. Common parts for the electronics (generic ECU's) should have been compulsory. Then traction control and all electronic aids could have gone, even if they had mandated it for 2004. A common rear wing design would have taken the wind out of a few peoples sails. Then the FIA could have changed the dimensions at will whenever they wanted to (season to season). I can live with the points decision but for qualifying it would have been better to have two or three qualifying sessions over two days with the drivers best times in each session being added together or the fastest time from the first days session counting for a front row position. Restrictions on testing are OK but they should have had a more concrete decision than the rubbish that has been proposed- if you test less than 10 days a year you get an extra two hours on day one, but only if three teams or more commit to the idea! Really FIA. That is pathetic! how much better? Not at all and honestly if that is the limit of the FOIA/teams creative ability at putting on a better show we would all be better off to can it for 2003. Bernie can buy CART and run CART as an interim formula one until the teams pull their heads out of the manure and take a more sensible and pragmatic approach to really doing something to improve the show. if you threatened to cut off their income for a year they'd all be alot more accommodating when it came to agreeing to changes.

[Wrex]

Hmm, must admit to being disappointed in both the results of the meeting, and alot of the comments I've read here.

"The FIA did this, the FIA should have done that, The FIA have screwed up again." The teams hold 12 votes and the balance of power, Max and Bernie only have one each. So if your looking to kick someone, look towards the teams.

As for the ideas, I've long been a fan of Superpole, and this should add extra spice to quals. Watch in 03 as Monty breaks his own Qualifying record. The one lap master!

The points are a mixed blessing, and not as good for Minardi as some think. If you look at the score for 02 with these numbers Minardi actually go backwards (although this is fairer I guess).

Glen, I'm not sure you have the right take on points and TV money. The $$$ are allocated on constructors finishing position, the number of points is irrelavent. So in actual fact, Minardi would receieve less money next year on this point system.

As for the critism that the tech regs were'nt looked at I'll say this. Where has it been said that this is it and that no further changes are being considered? These are'nt going to be changed overnight, and will need to be looked at very closely so we don't end up with something stupid like grooved tyres again. You can also put money on the fact it is the teams and engine manufactures that are holding that up.

And as for Spa, I very much doubt Bernie and Max are behind that. The teams (and their sponsors) can't come to agreement with the track organisers (or the current laws), hardly the FIA's fault.

I agree with the disappointment we have here, but we need to be realistic about what can be achieved in one meeting, and who is really behind holding up the changes that need to be made.