Fastest lap bonus - Farce or Fabulous

[Nitrodaze]

At the very last few days leading up to the first grand prix in Melbourne Australia, the F1 management rushed in a new rule for F1 that awards one point for the fastest lap of the race. There is one caveat, drivers can only get the bonus point, only if they finish the race in the top ten. Hence, if a driver does the fastest lap and then broke down before the end of the race, he would not be awarded the bonus point even if nobody else beat his fastest time.

One problem is, the drivers in the fastest cars may hug these bonus points and prevent the midfield from the opportunity. Secondly, drivers may only choose to attempt to get the fastest lap at the end of the GP. I think Mercedes may use this to bolster up their shortfall to Ferrari to keep the fight close and drawn out. Redbull may attempt to use these bonuses to try to get into the mix with Mercedes. You can see how the midfield may lose out.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the fastest lap does not need to be qualifying level fast. When everyone is conserving engine life, it may simply fall to the fastest normal race lap [fastest slow lap]. With the low number of engine limitation, l doubt any team would sacrifice engine life for one point. We would expect to see real duel for fastest laps when engines are reaching their end of racing life.

Chances are, the fastest lap bonus may not bring any real excitement to spectators in its current format. I personally think, they should have made the bonus available to teams outside the points, to inspire backend teams to have the chance to earn points which may otherwise be impossible. I think it would energize the creativity and commitments of these teams. Thus, the fastest backend team would have an opportunity to win a share of the 21 points available from the bonus scheme.

What do you think?

[The Black Knight]

Farce. I’d much rather a point for pole position.

[Starter]

I'd like to see both. One point each for pole and fastest lap with no restrictions on when in the race it is set.

[COD]

Why limit it to top 10? Why not everyone who is classified as a finisher?

[Big Ben]

Farce. Just another gimmick. Let's have points for poles, best haircut and the fan boost too or how it's called in Formula E :laugh:.

[The Black Knight]

Why limit it to top 10? Why not everyone who is classified as a finisher?

Because you’d have everyone outside the top 10 (sometimes even tenth place if he can garner an extra point) pitting for fresh tyres with two laps to go in an effort to set a qualifying lap.

[Zico]

This is one new rule that I'm in two minds about.
Will it achieve its desired outcome of drivers putting really fast laps in towards the end of the race?
In most cases probably not that much faster than normal, ie; no qualy mode laps to avoid reducing its working life.

If it improves the spectacle then great, I have no problem with it... but if it doesn't really change anything its just a pointed pointless gimmick.

Time will tell..

[Starter]

Because you’d have everyone outside the top 10 (sometimes even tenth place if he can garner an extra point) pitting for fresh tyres with two laps to go in an effort to set a qualifying lap.
So? Even with fresh tires someone outside the top ten would be hard pressed to set fast lap. else they wouldn't be outside the top 10.

[COD]

Because you’d have everyone outside the top 10 (sometimes even tenth place if he can garner an extra point) pitting for fresh tyres with two laps to go in an effort to set a qualifying lap.

Exactly. Wouldn’t that achieve the extra exitement they are after?

[The Black Knight]

So? Even with fresh tires someone outside the top ten would be hard pressed to set fast lap. else they wouldn't be outside the top 10.

Not really. Saw McLarens set fastest laps on mew tires last year and year before - tires make a huge difference.

[The Black Knight]

Exactly. Wouldn’t that achieve the extra exitement they are after?

Possibly- we’ll see how it pans out. But, as I say, I think pole position is far more deserving of points than fastest lap.

[Zico]

Possibly- we’ll see how it pans out. But, as I say, I think pole position is far more deserving of points than fastest lap.

Give them an extra point for pole and you achieve nothing with regards to improving the spectacle. Qualy doesnt really need any incentive for the driver to give 100%... and isn't starting on pole already reward enough in itself?

With a fastest race lap point on the table you potentially encourage teams to choose the more attacking strategy which gives them fresher tyres at the end when fuel loads are lower.

[Artisto]

Definitely a good refresher to the casual racing towards the end. Extra action guaranteed since we all know that every point accounts in the end for the championship and also money rewarded to constructors, so ultimately added value also for us spectators. I mean more action in the end leads to possibly more drama.

[truefan72]

Because you’d have everyone outside the top 10 (sometimes even tenth place if he can garner an extra point) pitting for fresh tyres with two laps to go in an effort to set a qualifying lap.
I hear that argument, but I counter that everyone will have that option then, which willeither all cancel each other out or lead to some late race drama with 5 or 6 cars pitting and gunning for a fast lap
Maybe a good compromise would be top 15 or have the car complete at least 70% of the race distance
This will give all teams a real reason to fight and push the cars even more. Thus leading to a better show and interest up and down the grid
Remember that pit stops also take time which might not be worth the stop for some higher up the grid. Intrigue abound.

[truefan72]

I like the idea. It is about time they rewarded it.
Pole position should also be worth 1 point
as many have already pointed out.

[airshifter]

I was really on the fence with this new rule until this first race. Listening to all the audio, I think it has the potential to really change things up near the front of the pack. Drivers are obviously going to fight for that one point.

Also agree to bring back the point for pole, as it had a similar impact IMO.

[N. Jones]

I love it. I like hearing the drivers fighting for that extra point, especially Bottas, who is looking to take the fight to Hamilton.

[zako85]

Stupid useless rule. The car that does the fastest lap is also the one that usually wins the race. We already got a problem in F1, for the last 30 years or so, that the same one or two teams win all the races. Now, they will also collect extra points for the fastest lap. This is an incredible stupid rule. This effectively gives 26 points to the race winner most of the time. Now, how long should we wait until they get rid of it? (Remember the stupid new qualifying format that couldn't last more than two races recently?)

Why change what's not broken. Leave it alone already.

[zako85]

I love it. I like hearing the drivers fighting for that extra point, especially Bottas, who is looking to take the fight to Hamilton.

Fighting? Sorry. What make you think about this? Because Bottas said so? His radio only proved that he is perhaps a cocky little prick who will argue on radio about one point and then not change his course ok.

Anyways, I guess we are going to enjoy for the rest of this season the "fight" between Bottas and Hamilton about this point. One way or another, this simply makes Mercedes win faster in the season. How great.

I really don't understand the reasoning behind introducing this one point for the fastest lap. Did anyone really think that SAUBER, HAAS, or anyone else besides Mercedes will win it? Good job.

[Nitrodaze]

What l find interesting is how Hamilton and Vettel did not bother trying for the fastest lap bonus. I think they probably did not want to sacrifice engine life for one point. We would see how Bottas and Verstapenn fair with their engine going forward.

Did it bring any real excitement? There were attempts mainly by Bottas and Verstapenn, but really the rest did not stand a chance against Merc and Redbull, hence did not try. I think if the cars outside the top ten were elegible for nthe bonus points, there may have been one or two risk takers going into the pits for new tyres and putting out their best qualifying lap for the fastest lap of the race.

[airshifter]

Well, I'm actually surprised how much it seems that drivers are shooting for the fastest lap, even when they are the leading drivers. I expected it more from the drivers hoping to close small gaps, but it seems that frequently several drivers per race are on the radio looking for a shot at this extra point.

Seven different drivers have scored fastest laps this year, and at times it seems that strategy calls might easily influence who has a chance to go for it, and when.


With a chunk of the season over, what does everyone else think?

[zako85]

It's a farce. Get rid of it.

[The Black Knight]

It's a farce. Get rid of it.

Repped! Apart from Hamilton’s amazing final lap in Silverstone it hasn’t actually added anything to the sport and hasn’t influenced strategy.

Get rid of that stupid driver of the day voting as well. Utterly useless and serves no purpose.

[Jag_Warrior]

Get rid of that stupid driver of the day voting as well. Utterly useless and serves no purpose.

Totally agree with that.

In a close championship battle (which admittedly we haven't had for awhile), I can see how the fastest lap point might spark some excitement.

In looking back at 2016, I see that Nico scored 6 fastest laps compared to 3 for Lewis. But F/L didn't mean anything more than bragging rights back then. Unlike Vettel, Hamilton didn't typically go out of his way to record the fastest lap (prior to the awarding of a point anyway). With 2016 ending in a 5 point separation between Rosberg and Hamilton, and Hamilton having 12 poles to Rosberg's 8 (suggesting that he might have been generally quicker when he really wanted to be), I just wonder if having that bonus point in a season like that wouldn't add some real spice? What do you guys think?

[Tazio]

It's a farce. Get rid of it.Agreed! It just demonstrates how much these guys are driving to a delta!

[airshifter]

Totally agree with that.

In a close championship battle (which admittedly we haven't had for awhile), I can see how the fastest lap point might spark some excitement.

In looking back at 2016, I see that Nico scored 6 fastest laps compared to 3 for Lewis. But F/L didn't mean anything more than bragging rights back then. Unlike Vettel, Hamilton didn't typically go out of his way to record the fastest lap (prior to the awarding of a point anyway). With 2016 ending in a 5 point separation between Rosberg and Hamilton, and Hamilton having 12 poles to Rosberg's 8 (suggesting that he might have been generally quicker when he really wanted to be), I just wonder if having that bonus point in a season like that wouldn't add some real spice? What do you guys think?

My thoughts are somewhat similar. In most races, it adds nothing or next to nothing for excitement, but the first time a WDC or constructors championship place is decided by fastest lap points it will all of a sudden matter. If you are Ferrari or Mercedes, it might not matter still financially. But if you are Alfa and Haas, that extra cash flow of one position is a bigger deal. So similar to reliability, it will only matter when it matters.

I've actually been surprised at the radio chatter and teams looking for that "free" pit stop delta near race end to take a shot at fastest lap.

I think KMag is the only driver to get a fastest lap other than the Merc/Ferrari/RB teams. IIRC that applied last year as well.

[Nitrodaze]

If you look at who has benefited from the fastest lap so far, you would find that only drivers from the top three have managed to pull it off consistently. My problem with the fastest lap bonus is it helps the teams in the sharp end more than it does the Midfield or below. Which has the effect of pulling the sharp end of the grid further away from the midfield.

The fastest lap would make more sense if it can assist the midfiled to get closer to the sharp end or help teams outside the top ten to get in the mix with teams at the bottom of the the top ten. Hence, l agree, it should be scrapped or modified to benefit the midfield and below. Really would not mind if the top three teams are not allowed to benefit from the fastest lap but that is also controversial.

[N. Jones]

At the very last few days leading up to the first grand prix in Melbourne Australia, the F1 management rushed in a new rule for F1 that awards one point for the fastest lap of the race. There is one caveat, drivers can only get the bonus point, only if they finish the race in the top ten. Hence, if a driver does the fastest lap and then broke down before the end of the race, he would not be awarded the bonus point even if nobody else beat his fastest time.

One problem is, the drivers in the fastest cars may hug these bonus points and prevent the midfield from the opportunity. Secondly, drivers may only choose to attempt to get the fastest lap at the end of the GP. I think Mercedes may use this to bolster up their shortfall to Ferrari to keep the fight close and drawn out. Redbull may attempt to use these bonuses to try to get into the mix with Mercedes. You can see how the midfield may lose out.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the fastest lap does not need to be qualifying level fast. When everyone is conserving engine life, it may simply fall to the fastest normal race lap [fastest slow lap]. With the low number of engine limitation, l doubt any team would sacrifice engine life for one point. We would expect to see real duel for fastest laps when engines are reaching their end of racing life.

Chances are, the fastest lap bonus may not bring any real excitement to spectators in its current format. I personally think, they should have made the bonus available to teams outside the points, to inspire backend teams to have the chance to earn points which may otherwise be impossible. I think it would energize the creativity and commitments of these teams. Thus, the fastest backend team would have an opportunity to win a share of the 21 points available from the bonus scheme.

What do you think?


I've got no problem with it.