Dropped points system ruled out as teams could ‘game it’

Michelle Foster
Australian Grand Prix start PA

Australian Grand Prix start PA

Formula 1 has ruled out introducing a dropped points system for 2020 with Ross Brawn saying the problem is teams could “game it”.

Formula 1 is facing an unprecedented situation this season with drivers potentially missing races as a result of positive tests, either for themselves or their mechanics.

Brawn has already revealed procedures that will see the teams surrounding each car, including the driver, placed in isolation while they await test results if one of them is positive.

The F1 sporting boss admitted at the time that drivers could miss sessions, even grands prix, because of this.

This raised some debate as to whether Formula 1 should introduce a dropped points system.

Under the system, drivers would only score points in a certain number of races with not every grand prix counting towards the championship result.

Formula 1 has used this in the past with Nelson Piquet’s win in Adelaide in 1990 the last decided under this system.

Brawn, though, says F1 won’t go down that route for 2020.

“We did talk at one stage of feasibility of perhaps dropping one or two results in the current circumstances,” he explained to the official F1 website.

“The problem with that is the teams could ‘game it’.

“They could work out how they could take advantage of an opportunity and you might find they get to a race where they aren’t likely to score point because they are having problems, so they decide not to finish.

“That would look bad for Formula 1.

“There’s all sorts of gamesmanship that would go on if there was an opportunity to drop a couple of results, so we concluded, particularly as it will be a shortened calendar, it was better to leave all results in place.”

At present the calendar is all of eight grands prix long but that is all that is required for a World Championship.

Formula 1 is looking to add a few more races, possibly bringing the season up to 13 or even 15 grands prix.

Despite a shortened campaign, Brawn believes the title will a “valid” victory.

“It will be a pretty exciting championship with a reduced number, so I think it will be a valid championship,” he said. “The best guy will win.

“We’ll go to a great range of tracks and it will be as valid a championship as any other.”

Follow us on Twitter @Planet_F1 and like our Facebook page.