F1's Ecclestone predicts a return to 'real racing'

Published on Wednesday 18 March 2009 09:06

BERNIE ECCLESTONE is convinced we will now see "real racing" in Formula One after a winner-takes-all system was given the green light.

From this season, the driver who wins most races will be crowned world champion – a ruling that would have cost Lewis Hamilton the title last year.

Felipe Massa edged Hamilton by six victories to five following his triumph in the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix but lost out by a single point to the Briton in the final reckoning.

Five months ago F1 supremo Ecclestone proposed an "Olympic-style" medals system, with drivers awarded gold, silver and bronze, and with the championship won by the driver collecting most golds.

The World Motor Sport Council, the decision-making arm of world governing body the FIA, has adopted part of the idea, ignoring the medals suggestion, but Ecclestone is delighted his plan will now come to fruition, believing the fans are the ones who will benefit.

"The system is exactly what I proposed, just without the second and third place awards," said Ecclestone. "What it does is make the drivers bloody well go for the win rather than settle for second.

"That's what we will see when the guys get to Melbourne (for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in 11 days).

"It will be real racing, which is good for the fans and the sport."

The WMSC further shook up F1 by announcing a voluntary budget cap of 30million is to come into force for next season, designed to further slash costs and hopefully attract new teams.

Teams will then have two options available to them: to either spend freely but adhere to the existing technical constraints, or enjoy a degree of freedom to innovate technically but within the cap. The move has angered the Formula One Teams' Association as only a fortnight ago it announced plans to further cut its budgets in the face of the current economic climate.

FIA president Max Mosley, though, clearly feels the body did not go far enough and, in the wake of pushing through the cap, FOTA has reacted strongly.

"With regard to the decisions taken by the FIA World Council, FOTA would like to express its disappointment and concern at the fact that these have been taken in a unilateral manner," said chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

"The framework of the regulations as defined by FIA, to be applicable as from 2010, runs the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula One and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports. Given the timeframe and the way in which these modifications were decided upon, we feel it is necessary to study closely the new situation."

The likely scenario now is that FOTA will propose its own cap, likely to be around the 50m mark, one that all teams could adhere to. Under the WMSC's new ruling, such a system could lend itself to a two-tier F1, and potentially split FOTA as the teams are likely to side with either scenario.

Believing the new regulations are in the best interests of the sport, Mosley said: "It has been carefully costed. The cars will be much less refined in detail because the teams will not be able to spend huge sums on minute advantages. But, from the grandstand or on television, they won't look or sound any less 'Formula One' than the current, ultra-expensive cars."