F1: Ecclestone Wants “Medals” Points System

Formula 1

F1: Ecclestone Wants “Medals” Points System

Bernie Ecclestone is pushing to totally scrap Formula 1's current points system.

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted November 01, 2008 Interlagos, Brazil

Bernie Ecclestone. (LAT photo)

Lewis Hamilton needs only to finish fifth in Sunday's championship-deciding Brazilian Grand Prix to be champion, but if the F1 chief executive got his way, the Briton would have had to push to win.

He is proposing that, instead of winning points based on finishing in the top eight, drivers should compete only for either a gold, silver or bronze medal, as in the Olympics. Going into the 2008 finale, then, Hamilton and Ferrari's Felipe Massa would be tied on gold medals with 5 wins apiece.

"The way things stand, fans will not be given any wheel-to-wheel racing by the two title contenders in Brazil," Ecclestone told the British newspaper The Sun. "There is no way in the world Lewis is going to try and win the race or go all out on the attack.

"Felipe can drive his socks off and win but Lewis merely has to coast home in the top five. Under the current points system he'd be incredibly stupid to do anything else."

Ecclestone, 77, said Valencia was another example of Hamilton not making "any effort" to win, because second place affords only 2 points less than victory. "Imagine the tension and excitement created because both drivers needed victory to secure the title," he said at Interlagos.

It is believed that, under to Ecclestone's medals regime, points would still be awarded to constructors on the basis of the current system.
SPEED F1 Host Bob Varsha will join Dave Despain on Wind Tunnel Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET to recap the season finale from Brazil.

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