Page last updated at 15:53 GMT, Monday, 23 March 2009 |
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Showing posts with label Formula 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Formula 1. Show all posts
Monday, March 23, 2009
Formula 1: All News at a Glance
Formula 1: New rules set for 2010 - F1 boss
Page last updated at 12:43 GMT, Sunday, 22 March 2009 |
New rules set for 2010 - F1 boss: | |||||
Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says the new scoring system he is championing will definitely be introduced next year. Plans to use the system, in which the driver with most wins becomes champion, from 2009 were scrapped on Friday. But Ecclestone told the BBC that the system would be introduced in 2010. "It will be supported by the FIA and it will be in the regulations, so when the people enter the championship, that's what the regulation will be," he said. Asked if he was disappointed by the decision to ditch the system for this year, Ecclestone added on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme: "Absolutely. If you go to the athletics and look at the 100m you're not looking at the guy that's second, you're looking at the winner.
"To make any changes when the entries have closed, you have to get a unanimous agreement between all the people that have entered, and it would appear that some of the teams didn't like the idea. "The whole idea is nothing to do with winning the world championship, the idea was to make sure people raced in every race to win, not to be second or third and collect points." The new system means that a driver could wrap up the title well before the end of the year, but Ecclestone brushed off suggestions it could potentially kill off interest in the sport. "That's too bad. Maybe they'd be watching the other races where the people are racing to win rather than be second," said Ecclestone.
And he referred to a couple of races from the 2008 championship as examples of how the present scoring system discouraged attacking driving. "Lewis (Hamilton) last year was second in a couple of races he could easily have won, and he was quite right in being second," said Ecclestone. "If I'd have been his team manager I'd have been complaining if he'd been racing to win, in case there was a problem in the car or he fell off the road." Defending champion Hamilton has been off the pace in pre-season testing but Ecclestone said he "absolutely" believed Hamilton remained the man to beat, adding "certainly if we had that other scoring system he would be". | |||||
Formula 1: F1 in Disarray Over Scoring Plan
Page last updated at 19:07 GMT, Friday, 20 March 2009 |
F1 in disarray over scoring plan: | ||||
 The new season starts with the Australian Grand Prix on 29 March Formula 1 has axed plans for a new scoring system in 2009, just nine days before the start of the season. The sport's governing body, FIA, announced earlier this week that the driver with the most wins would be crowned world champion. But following a protest from F1 teams, FIA says it will defer the introduction of the new system until 2010. The traditional points system will be used when the 2009 season begins on 29 March with the Australian Grand Prix.
"We're slightly surprised that the teams have taken this long to come forward as we were under the impression that they were happy with the rule changes." FIA had argued that the new scoring system would make racing more exciting by encouraging drivers to chase wins. But several drivers, among them defending champion Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, criticised the change. That prompted Friday's statement from Formula One Teams' Association (Fota), which claimed the amendment was invalid because the proper protocol had not been observed. "It is too late for FIA to impose a change for the 2009 season that has not obtained the unanimous agreement of all the competitors properly entered into the 2009 Formula 1 Championship," it read. Fota had put forward its own scoring system, with the top three drivers earning 12, nine and seven, rather than 10, eight and six points respectively.
Instead, the WMSC opted for a variant of an earlier idea proposed by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who had suggested an Olympic-style medals system, with the champion the driver with most golds. The WMSC approved the "race-wins" plan, albeit with no provision to award medals. Fota, which insists its own plan has widespread backing, hopes common ground can be reached with the FIA. "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," added the statement. Hamilton would have finished second behind Ferrari's Felipe Massa had the new system applied last year. The McLaren driver clinched the title after overtaking on the final bend of the final lap of the final race. | ||||
Formula 1: Hamilton reveals hunger for title
Page last updated at 09:56 GMT, Monday, 23 March 2009 |
Lewis Hamilton is desperate to overcome McLaren's problems during pre-season testing and go on to successfully defend his Formula 1 world title. The team have struggled with several aerodynamic issues ahead of Sunday's season-opener in Australia, leaving them trailing behind their rivals. However, Hamilton is confident those problems are now behind them and says he is determined to lead the way again. "My hunger to win a second title is as great as for the first," he said. "It's really an amazing feeling. I want to train more. I've never wanted to train so much. "I'm knocking on (personal trainer) Adam (Costanzo's) door early in the morning and he's like 'What are you doing here?'
"He's already seen the differences. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and now I can enjoy my driving again and start churning away like I did in 2007. "I can't wait to get into the season now. I want to win more, be more consistent." Hamilton won the 2008 title in dramatic fashion as he pipped Ferrari's Felipe Massa at the final race of the season in Brazil. However, McLaren have admitted they face a race against time to get their new MP4-24 car to the same level of their rivals before the campaign starts. The final pre-season testing in Jerez, Spain last week proved that the Woking-based team are heading in the right direction as Heikki Kovalainen improved to within half a second of Williams' Kazuki Nakajima, who set a fastest time of one minute 17.494. Hamilton was a couple of seconds off the pace, but believes he will be in a position to challenge when the team touches down in Melbourne.
"I'm very happy with what I've achieved but now is the beginning of something new," insisted the 24-year-old Englishman. "When I look back on my career I see that every year I've improved. In every category I've always won a championship in my second year. "Throughout my life that's been the way and it's the same in F1 as I won the title in my second year. "I know now I'm already better than I was last year, physically, mentally and with the balance in my life. "So, if things continue to get better, and I continue to improve my driving and the understanding of the car, then I see no reason why we can't win more." | |||||
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