Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

The ever-changing Formula 1 is proposing yet another change ahead of the upcoming season. Keeping in mind the increasing competitiveness and the massive impact every point has on a team, the FIA and FOM (Formula One Management) are proposing a new points system. The proposed points system is aimed at rewarding the teams battling in the midfield. F1 expert Karun Chandhok has made some suggestions for this promising proposition.

Not just for the team battling in the midfield, Chandhok’s proposition could make the overall sport better. He tweeted, “Here’s an idea – the extra income the FIA gets from these teams scoring points should be used for employing permanent stewards for consistency instead of relying on a rotation of volunteers.”

“They have a tough job and there’s no way 4 humans will ever have the same view on an incident but at least if it’s the same 4 every time we get consistency,” he concluded. It must be clear now that most races don’t have the same four stewards. The volunteer stewards are employed on a rotational system given the feasibility.

This has often created a lot of chaos and backlash for some penalties and calls by the stewards. So, Chandhok is suggesting the FIA employs the same stewards for the entire season.

Such an arrangement can increase the consistency of the calls and penalties being awarded during the race. So, more points for everyone and consistency with stewards’ decisions. Sounds like a dream, but it’s on the verge of coming true, at least one part of it.

The new proposed F1 points system is getting all the support it needs

The new F1 points system will effectively extend to P12 making room for two extra cars in the points. This suggestion has come after increased competitiveness in the sport and midfield teams suffering.

So, awarding points to the top 12 finishers instead of 10 will give the midfield battle more weightage. This change is proposed to help the bottom 5 teams, who hardly score any points.

It is evident with the current standings as the three teams [Sauber, Williams, and Alpine] are still with zero points whereas the 6th and 7th-placed teams [RB and Haas] have 7 and 5 respectively. The new points system will change that with the teams not going home empty-handed after a hard-fought P11 or P12.

The entire grid including the top teams is receiving this idea well. “I’m not against. And coming from Alfa Romeo [Sauber], I perfectly understand sometimes the frustration,” said the Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur as quoted by Autosport. His Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner was also “impartial to it.” All midfield teams are naturally in favor of the rule change.

So, keeping the championship battle intact, the proposed points system will change from P8 onwards. Instead of 4, the eight-placed finisher will be awarded five points and then go down to P12 with one less point for every position thereon. So P8 – 5 points, P9 – 4 points, P10 – 3 points, P11 – 2 points, and finally P12 – 1 point.