F1 chief says team bosses "idiots" for not originally accepting his three-race double points plan; Mercedes' Toto Wolff believes double points should be dropped; Abu Dhabi happy to wait on F1's decision
Tuesday 18 November 2014 13:51, UK
Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that he is open to idea of dropping Formula 1’s highly-controversial double points rule for the 2015 season.
The shock announcement last winter that double points would be awarded in the 2014 season finale in Abu Dhabi – which takes place this weekend – provoked immediate outcry from fans, with the idea also seemingly garnering little public support amongst the teams despite the motion originally carrying their support prior to its insertion into the Sporting Regulations.
Ecclestone, keen to ensure there was no repeat of 2013 when Sebastian Vettel wrapped up the title with three races to spare, was credited with devising the concept – although F1’s commercial chief has since stressed that he wanted the final three rounds of the campaign to feature double points.
And now ahead of the title-deciding race dubbed ‘Abu Double’ on Sunday, Ecclestone has told The Independent: “I’m not going to propose the three races again.
“I’m going to let them get on with it. I don’t know what we’re going to do next year.”
Ecclestone argued that doubling the points for the final three rounds would have been the more logical solution and teams were shortsighted in not backing it.
“One race is stupid but imagine if it was the last three races,” he added. “It means that somebody would have to have a 150-point advantage minimum to be sure they will win.
“The teams have not accepted it because they are bloody idiots. They are all mechanics. They think of their team in the short term.”
The possibility of the all-Mercedes championship duel between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg being settled by the quirk of the double points rule has been debated for months. The 17-point difference between the pair in the standings means a 50-point race win for Rosberg in this weekend's showdown wouldn’t be quite enough to overturn his team-mate’s advantage if Hamilton finishes second. However, under the usual points format the Briton would only need to finish sixth as opposed to second to be sure of the crown.
While the double-points rule currently remains in the Sporting Regulations for 2015, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff believes moves will be afoot over the winter to ensure it doesn’t return.
“Nobody likes the double points,” he said. “We are going to discuss that next time around, I don’t think Bernie likes them, so it’s probably something we should be getting rid of for next year.”
For the second time in their short history, the Abu Dhabi track was given the honour of staging this year’s season finale at their plush Yas Marina circuit and the Emirate is once more scheduled to host the final race of 2015.
The venue is thought to have paid a premium on its F1 hosting fee for the honour of closing the campaign but the circuit's boss says the call on double points for next year rests with the sport's authorities.
“It did what it was supposed to do, which was keep the [title] race undecided until the end," Al Tareq Al Ameri, Chief Executive of the Yas Marina circuit, told Sky Sports News HQ.
“There’s a lot of controversy about the introduction of double points and it will be decided very soon, but that’s a decision for the FIA and Formula 1.”
The 2014 Abu Dhabi GP is live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Extensive coverage of the title-deciding race begins at 11:30am on Sunday with lights out at 1pm.
