New Points System

[mabs_nsx]

I think there should be a new points system were every driver gets points but only if they finish the race. The points system should be as follows:

Qualifying
1st in Qualifying 1=1 point
1st in Qualifying 2=2 points

Race
1st=48 points
2nd=44 points
3rd=40 points
4th=36 points
5th=32 points
6th=28 points
7th=24 points
8th=20 points
9th=18 points
10th=16 points
11th=14 points
12th=12 points
13th=10 points
14th=8 points
15th=6 points
16th=5 points
17th=4 points
18th=3 points
19th=2 points
20th=1 points
DNF=0 points
Fastest lap=1 point

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

I've never been a fan of points systems that reward the entire field (if they finish). Afterall, why reward mediocrity?

Drivers and teams need a big incentive to stop them settling in for the points towards the backend of the race that happens in so many other series. At least, that's my take on it.

[N I Tram]

Terrible idea - as Silk Cut puts it, mediocrity shouldn't be rewarded in such a way. Giving points to 8 of the 20 drivers is more than enough. Also, the gap from firt to second should be at least 20%, probably more, and the gaps in general aren't big enough to make a driver consider an aggressive move.

[Rich R]

i'd like to see a point awarded for pole and fastest lap, but the point system revert back to the top 6 only, it does seem sometimes like a lot of mediocraty are in the points at the end of a race.

[neil_davidson2]

I understand the comments about not wanting to reward mediocrity - especially SCJs comments about teams just settling for points instead of pushing.

But then should a team that manages to produce a car that is capable of finishing a race end up with the same amount of points as a team that doesn't i.e. zero?

I think rewarding the top eight is fine, but if I were to do anything then I'd specify a minimum number of laps to be completed to claim the points (e.g. you can only be two laps behind the winner at most) to prevent people producing a reliable but uncompetetive car.

[Steve Wilkinson]

If they adopted the 10 down to 1 point scheme that operates on the hills I think this would help. That way they would be rewarding consistant performers throughout the season. Drivers would still want to win but would have to keep on winning!

Can't say I like idea of an extra point for the Fastest Lap or Pole Position.

[N I Tram]

You have to complete 90% of the race distance to score points - on one occasion less than 6 drivers scored, and only 7 would've at Monaco 1996.

[Kicking-back]

The F1 points system works well at the moment.

I don't like the idea of points for qualifying or fastest laps - it's about the race result.

And rewarding 8 cars out of 20 starters is about right too.

[Super Tourer]

I think the system is OK as it is, although I have in the past favoured a point for fastest lap.

The only problem with awarding points for pole and FL is that in a dominant period it simply adds to the already prolific score of the leading driver, ending the championship battle even earlier in the year.

[dcp2685]

The only change I'd like to see made is a bigger difference between 1st and 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. I like the top 8 scheme though.

I think like a 20-15-12-10-8-6-3-1 or something along those lines.

[neil_davidson2]

If I recall correctly the points system was changed to 10 points for a win instead of 9 because it was felt that a win should be better rewarded after (again IIRC) Rosberg won the championship without registering a win.

The current system gives more emphasis to consistency over outright wins.

[Kicking-back]

Rosberg won the title in 1982, and he did win a race.

The 9 points for a win changed to 10 in 1990 or 1991.

[Dog Faced Boy]

To reward teams just for turning up is silly. Only teams that have been challenging at the front should get it. F1 should be about sheer pace not settling for a couple of points. I would revert to the old system1-6pos 9,6,4,3,2,1pts system. theres the extra point gap to make going for the win more desireable and a reversion back to the good old days were there was scraps and dicing for the last point. At the moment there are alot of shoddy drives being rewarded by a point.

Heres an idea. How about a point or two for the most successful on tracking overtaking manouvers.

[Andrew Gunnell]

Giving points to all the drivers is too complicated. Like the other have said the awarding of points from 1st to 8th is Ok. But I would be in favour of giving a point for pole and fastest lap.

[BootsOntheSide]

That would just reward people for qualifying badly - overtaking moves only usually ahppen if you have a big performance advantage over the car ahead.

1982 was a strange season - 11 drivers won races, and nobody won more than 2. Rosberg had 4 or 5 second-places as well as his win, and would've still been champion under any of the 4 points systems F1 has used.

[Dog Faced Boy]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

That would just reward people for qualifying badly.

Sure would, I think this would add an element of exitement and an increase in wheel to wheel action. People are more likely to try and overtake on the track rather than in the pit which wouldnt count as ovrtaking.

[neil_davidson2]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Rosberg won the title in 1982, and he did win a race.

The 9 points for a win changed to 10 in 1990 or 1991.

You're right KB - it was 92. I'd managed to blank out the intervening tweak of the points system where only the best 11 results of the season were counted towards the championship (85-90)

[Teretonga]

Frankly i would like to go back to the 9-6-4-3-2-1 system and choose the best 15 results of the season. that way you'd easily see who was the best driver. Remember the year that senna won the the title even though he scored less points overall than Prost...

[mabs_nsx]

Well maybe awarding 1-20 may not be such a good idea, maybe 1st-8th is fine or they could extend it to 1st-10th but there should at leat be more points offered and a bigger gap from first to second at least an extra 2 points. It should go as follows:

Qualifying
1st in Qualifying 1=1 point
1st in Qualifying 2=2 points

Race
1st=20 points
2nd=15 points
3rd=12 points
4th=10 points
5th=8 points
6th=6 points
7th=4 points
8th=3 points
9th=2 points
10th=1 points
Fastest lap=1 point
or
1st=20 points
2nd=16 points
3rd=12 points
4th=8 points
5th=6 points
6th=4 points
7th=2 points
8th=1 point
Fastest lap=1 point

[Snrub]

I don't have a big problem with the current points system. I think that rewarding those finishing 7th and 8th was a good move. F1 is typically pretty tiered from team to team. Rewarding 7th and 8th gives the slower teams something to shoot for and makes the final standings more accurate. One good finish at 6th isn't better than finishing every race in 7th. If you disagree consider that 2004 was an interesting season as far as modern F1 goes, but not for who won. That's why the places behind the leader are important.

Points systems need to reflect the reality of a series to try to be as fair as possible to the average result. Given the level of competition in F1 right now, I think points to 10th would be even better. I don't like the idea of rewarding everyone. Simply getting to the end does not deserve reward on its own. Besides if you get to the end there will probably be a race where you are rewarded like Minardi was in Austrailia '02 and the US GP 2004, but it will be deserved.

[krt917]

Originally Posted by dcp2685

The only change I'd like to see made is a bigger difference between 1st and 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. I like the top 8 scheme though.

I agree, though a 20-15 gap still isn't big enough in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Dog Faced Boy

People are more likely to try and overtake on the track rather than in the pit which wouldnt count as ovrtaking.

I can see where you are coming from, but this is a measure that would address a problem created by other factors. There isn't as much overtaking as we might like because: there are pit stops; the cars rely too much on aero; the points gap between positions (most notably 1-2-3) isn't big enough. Correct all these and you wouldn't need to give point to encourage overtaking. Such a system would also be to complicated, though I think most could cope with a point for fastest lap (and pole, if they change qualifying).