F1 penalty points get green light

[CNR]

F1 penalty points get green light - MARCA.com (English version)

The FIA has reached an agreement with the majority of the teams at Montmeló to implement a licence penalty points system for F1 drivers next season, similar to the one introduced in MotoGP this year.
Points would be given for driving infringements "and, if you have 12 points, or whatever the maximum, there would be a one-race ban", race director Charlie Whiting, who is promoting the idea, explained.

[dj_bytedisaster]

LOL, that'll be one short season for Maldonado

[Mark]

They've already had that for infractions but never really used it.

[steveaki13]

Interesting too see how it goes. Might give a few younger drivers a race here and there.

[dj_bytedisaster]

I think that concept is a good idea. That one race ban last years seems to have done wonders for Grosjean. It will also help to cool down the Gutierrezes and Maldonado's, who crop up in the naughty box quite often.

[airshifter]

Overall I like the idea. My only concern is who will decide penalty points. I would actually prefer that a set "panel" of sorts do it, completely for consistency reasons. As we know the stewards can vary race to race on their actions, but in this case since the penalty has no need to be quick, a set group could have time to review the evidence.

[Mark]

There will always be more pressure on the Steward who decides to hand out points to a driver that results in a ban. It's difficult to get across that you could get a ban for committing an offence that itself wasn't worthy of one.

[Whyzars]

It all looks good until reality bites.


1. For any infringement, penalties should be at the current race only or the next race at worst.

2. The penalty must be consistent and proportional for the infringement.

3. The penalty must always reflect the severity of the infringement.


Cumulative penalty systems have no place in sport when I'm thinking a minor infringement in the second last race of the season deciding the WDC.


A thoroughly stupid idea which means it will be implemented ASAP.

[D-Type]

I'm not sure about that. Does a driver who has committed a series of infringements serious enough to get penalty points deserve to be world champion? It would do behaviour in the sport no end of good if a driver lost the world championship for misbehaviour. Who remembers that Schumacher was stripped of his 2nd place in 1997 and stripped of his points - certainly not most of those who compile statistics. Now, if he had received a one race or two race ban they would remember.

Does your first point mean that any penalty points decision must be made before the next race? I agree with your second and third points. Since race stewards have been known to show, shall we say, national bias, national [typecast] character and on occasions incompetence, if such a system is introduced it must be administered centrally by an FIA committee that includes one or two ex-drivers.

[vhatever]

Overall I like the idea. My only concern is who will decide penalty points. I would actually prefer that a set "panel" of sorts do it, completely for consistency reasons. As we know the stewards can vary race to race on their actions, but in this case since the penalty has no need to be quick, a set group could have time to review the evidence.

This is my issue with it too. I also want specific reasons why so-and-so gets a different penalty than so-and-so, and i want it to be logical and hence fair.

I'm sure people recall vettel's completely nonsense 20 second AFTER RACE penalty last year.

What a farce.