F1 Points System Change

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8407119.stm

Looks like F1 is taking a leaf out of MotoGP's book by making the incentive to win all the more rewarding. From next season, the points will be:

1st-25

2nd-20

3rd-15

4th-10

5th-8

6th-6

7th-5

8th-3

9th-2

10th-1

For those that don't know, MotoGP has run like this, for many years upto now:

1st 25

2nd 20

3rd 16

4th 13

5th 11

6th 10

7th 9

8th 8

9th 7

10th 6

11th 5

12th 4

13th 3

14th 2

15th 1

Now you may think MotoGP is over generous by giving out points all the way down the field, leaving only a few riders pointless after a race. But the system works quite well, because almost nobody is totally out of the running. And that increases the competition to keep trying to better your opponents. Overtaking in MotoGP is relatively easy, when compared to F1, so there is that incentive to try for one place higher, all the time.

Personally, I think F1 should increase the points output down the field further, so that teams don't get entirely left behind if they have a run of unusually bad performances. Btw, note the gap between the top 6 points placings in MotoGP. 5 points, then 4, 3, 2, 1 which then runs on to 15th place.

I was only thinking about this the other day - it will certainly improve the recognition and competition at the back of the pack, agree that it should extend further than 10th.

It's definatley a worthy improvement and miles better than the silly medals system

I like it but think they could have gone back as far as 12th.

Good in principle, but I agree with S.o.B, perhaps as far as 15th. How often has a rookie driving an absolute dog of a car, brought it home in the top 10 and had nothing to show for it.

no difference between the top three really, same percentages of points, but then drops off a cliff off the podium. Makes a podium finish all the more valuable this season.

They should have points to 24th to reward everyone bar the last 2 drivers. Just like MotoGP.

Seriously though. It looks like a radical change but it's not really. You have to go back 10 years to find a championship that would have had a different outcome and that was under the old "points to 6th place" system and would have changed under the recent system too. So, no change really.

I don't think it was ever meant to make a monumentous change to the outcome of the WDC. I think it's just intended to help figure out who's doing the best at the tail end of the field and to give drivers and teams at that level a little more to fight for. I think it's great but like I said, I think they could have taken it even further back.

Slightly trivial, but I'd have 4 points for 7th instead of 5. I agree with the points being spread out more the higher you finish principle, that just seems like an annomaly, being nearer 6th than 8th.

What a complete reverse of the medals system that would have left anyone outside the top 3 with basically nothing to show for.