Formula One Set For Fastest Lap Point Award

[TTM75]

So only 4 different drivers can score one extra point per race. Vettel, Leclerc, Hamilton or Bottas?
....with almost equal cars i understand this one extra point decision, otherwise not. How many points can Kubica get with Williams even he maybe is/was one of the quickest drivers on the grid?

 

[Ghoults]

They said me they need more ads space:

Man I'd love some straight 16 cylinder engines in f1.

 

[Pawel Ziolkowski]

It should have been 5 points.

And for people finding it stupid, think about it from drivers perspective, and then switch to other drivers through the filed... It would be a competition within competition. You'd have to balance both and either play a more dangerous high stakes game, or play it safe and risk giving others a comeback potential.

Also it would give more stops strategies a buff which would spice things up. And whenever the the top tier teams would fight for spots till the end, pitting on second to last lap and loosing 1-2 spots would be a beneficial gamble for the mid tier teams.

 

[paracletus]

The slower teams might actually get a lot of these 1 point bonuses -- podium positions aren't going to pit towards end of race just for this.
Alonso actually had a some fastest laps in the last few years, and that was top 10 finish. Now he could get a point for it each time.

 

[mantasisg]

In my opinion it is good. But the fact that this is something to discuss is stupidly funny to me. It is tiny tiny element. Of course it could add up great surprises toward the end, but still it is not a change in F1 IMO.

I wish F1 would make significant changes, it has altered cars quite a lot the last year, started using more effiecient engines, that sound less unfortunately, but IMO essentially nothing has changed, cars just got slightly more appealing visually and a bit more economical, but more silent. They are still one seat limousines that runs and wins mainly on money every single race. Reducing engine sizes but maintaining a lot of wings is weird to me, F1 technology should be all about efficiency just like FE in my understanding, aditional drag from complex wings systems is impractical at this point, unless I don't understand if they maintain great downforce while having minimal drag impact, but if I understand it correctly only diffuser works that way ? DRS - what the hell is that, it should be DRS all the time. Less extreme downforce and shorter wheelbases would make cars more lively, easier to perceive their speed, and more involving driver skill. Also the point is achieved where some technology is not practical anymore, performance is rising but is not practical anymore. The fact that money wins all the time, means that it is impossible for teams to develop cheaper manufacturing ways, which should also be a part of efficiency.

F1 should work so that most efficient cars, that are cheapest to manufacture would be the most successful. They should give points for speed/fuel usage ratio IMO, they should give points for staying under the budget limit... that i would understand. That would push technology and make for good sport too.

So teams budgets on building cars should be limited. that would be true weight ballast in F1. Also perhaps it would help to bring some more unique designs back to F1, instead of being virtually same and only improving on marginal improvements that rises to astronomical levels at some point, I imagine.

I look for big changes in F1.

Not removing grid girls type of changes.

 

[Antony Snook]

Despite the miss conception people have, the fastest lap dose not always go to the race winner. NASCAR My number 2 has a money and points for pole position. Points for leading one or more laps and a hard charger award for who ever gains the most places in the race (Or they used to, not shore now) You even get points for bringing the car home at the end of the race. If you are last you get promoted by retirements. There is no incentive to finish if your'e in the back or mid pack. So you might as well park the car and go home on a 0 points weekend.

 

[Antony Snook]

Why not a best haircut point?

That would be the Rich Energy Guru

 

[MattyH1812]

I'm fine with this as long as they retroactively give the 2008 championship to Massa xD

 

[Pawel Ziolkowski]

F1 technology should be all about efficiency just like FE in my understanding, aditional drag from complex wings systems is impractical at this point, unless I don't understand if they maintain great downforce while having minimal drag impact, but if I understand it correctly only diffuser works that way ?

Vortex generators can reduce drag too. Especially when an alternative is for the air to just hit something worse, like the tyres.

I mean, even wind turbine blades are getting vortex generator elements nowadays... and i think efficiency is pretty important for them

 

[pcraenme]

Top teams will be more likely to try to get their FL during the out laps on the last set of tyres.

If the Pirellli tires are the same as last year, then that is not a good idea. If you attack too hard after a pitstop, you will destroy your tires.

I am curious how this will work out. A ‘qualifying lap’ takes too much out of the tires, with the risk of losing positions and scoring even less points. I think we may need other tires, so drivers can really push.

 

[Terry Rock]

Another idiotic gimmick the sport can do without.
Losing site of the plot again I see.
Who here believes the smaller teams won't be pushing to get these points? ....show of hands.
If you have to adhere to a strict fuel strategy so as not to come up short on fuel, you won't be committed to go for this point.
If however, you have no chance of finishing in the points...why not?

 

[Knoxstar]

Want to spice up F1 and make the mid-field more relevant and the unbalanced budgets also less relevant? Keep the Driver's and Manufacturer Championships (but for Works teams) and an Independant's Cup for non-works teams. Sponsors will be more likely to pony up for teams actually fighting for 1st of something than 4th of nothing. As for fastest lap.....Gimmick!!

 

[InsaneOzzie]

Ridiculous, this 1 point for the fastest lap isn't going to put bums in seats, it's not going to fix the procession that is F1, it wont help the lower budget teams make any ground on the front running big wallet teams, and it certainly doesn't add any extra value to the outrageously expensive tickets.
Why does big corporate constantly believe that these types of gimmicks make it all worth our while, what a joke.
Fix the disparity in F1 so it's worth watching, then make it more affordable for spectators before you add gimmicks like a fastest lap point. LM lost a heap of money last season, with no true direction their set to lose millions more per season, ridiculous.

 

[Jonathan Young]

I don’t see any downside to trying this out, might spice things up a bit.

But the real problem is to do with too much disparity in funding levels between the big and small teams, too much downforce and brakes that are too efficient. If the cars reverted to a low downforce, high power package like from the 80s then we’d be in a better place.

Sure the cars wouldn’t be the most sophisticated (we could leave that prize to the LMP cars) but the emphasis would change from the most advanced cars to the very best drivers. Yes, the manufacturers would complain and perhaps Ferrari and even Mercedes would leave. But it’s a price worth paying in my opinion. What a show that would be!

 

[Antony Snook]

Take a scenario the front of the pack are in the pits on the same lap due to light spots of rain and a need for inters or wets. Mr midfield driver gets 1 point for leading and keeping car out one lap before his stop. Hes got a point and a acknowledgement from the commentary booth. Hes got media attention to him the team and sponsors as he slides around in the wet to get his point.

 

[Enzo Fazzi]

I think it would be a good idea if it wasn't for the requirement to finish in the top 10.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Just reward a point for the poleposition instead and make that qualification saturday interesting again. One hour with all the cars going flat out as fast as they can. Don't limit the use of tires etc. Just go flat out as fast as you can.

 

[Spinelli]

...and make that qualification saturday interesting again. One hour with all the cars going flat out as fast as they can. Don't limit the use of tires etc. Just go flat out as fast as you can.

Amen!

I'd say a max amount of 12 or so laps including in and out lap. And allow whatever setup changes you'd like during qualifying and even after - that way, when it rains, teams can make big setup changes like wings, ride heights, dampers / shock absorbers, springs, anti roll bars, etc. That will probably bring back more heavy rain racing which has been disappearing the last 10 years or so since now they follow the safety car around practically until a dry line appears (lame!).