F1: FIA Willing To Defer Championship Rule Change

Formula 1

F1: FIA Willing To Defer Championship Rule Change

Formula One's governing body said on Friday it was prepared to defer its new system of awarding the drivers' championship to whoever wins the most races until 2010.

SPEED Staff | Posted March 20, 2009 Paris (FRA)

The Serbian company AMCO has filed a complaint against FIA alleging anti-competition violations. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Formula One's governing body said on Friday it was prepared to defer to 2010 a controversial new system awarding the drivers' championship to whoever wins most races.

"If, for any reason, the Formula One teams do not now agree with the new system, its implementation will be deferred until 2010," the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.

The statement came in reaction to a press release issued by Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) representatives earlier on Friday, which stated their belief that the championship format change was invalid under the FIA's own sporting code.

"Since the change to the scoring system unanimously agreed by the Teams and proposed to FIA did not receive approval of the WMSC, no change can occur in 2009" said FOTA in their earlier statement. "The Teams wish to reaffirm their willingness to collaborate with the FIA in order to jointly define a new point system for the 2010 season within a comprehensive set of measures aimed at further stimulating the attractiveness of the F1 Sport."

Additional writing provided by Reuters