Just a few days before the championship decider, it appears the FIA are set to drop Double Points for 2015..
Formula 1 poised to drop double points rule for 2015 By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, November 18th 2014, 10:07 GMT
quoteNico Rosberg leads Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Brazilian GP 2014, Interlagos
Formula 1 is moving closer to ditching the controversial double points rule for 2015, as concerns mount that it could mar this season's finale.
The regulation, which caused a huge outcry from fans, was voted through at the end of last year in a bid to keep the world championship battle going on longer.
But the plan has failed - with the 17-point gap between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg meaning that the championship battle would have gone to the last race anyway.
Now there are fears that the extra points on offer could prove decisive in the title battle between the Mercedes drivers, creating the prospect of Hamilton losing the championship despite having won 10 races so far.
ANALYSIS: How double points would've changed history
Sources have told AUTOSPORT that, amid the unease about the rules, the matter will be discussed at a meeting of F1's Strategy Group in the days after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
If there is agreement between teams, then a proposal could be put to the F1 Commission to ditch the rule for next year.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has already hinted that he would not object if double points were dropped after 2014.
When asked by AUTOSPORT if he would like to see the rule changed, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: "Yes. Nobody likes the double points.
"We are going to discuss that next time around and I don't think Bernie likes it a lot. So it's probably something we should be getting rid of for next season."
SHADOW CAST OVER CAMPAIGN
Toto Wolff
The double points rule means that Hamilton now needs to finish second to guarantee himself the championship.
Wolff concedes that, thanks to double points, a bizarre event at the final round could overshadow a campaign that his team has dominated.
"You could say that rules are rules and we know what the rules are," he said. "If you lose because you haven't got enough points then in a couple of years it goes into the history books that you either won or lost it.
"But then, if you imagine a scenario that the championship has been turned by a DNF or a technical issue it would obviously put a big shadow over the championship.
"I would very much like a straight fight between the two of them at the last race and they will give it all.
"Hopefully the double points will not make a difference."
HOW THE TITLE WILL BE WON IN ABU DHABI
Rosberg wins the title if: * He finishes first and Hamilton does not finish second * He finishes second and Hamilton is outside the top five * He finishes third and Hamilton is outside the top six * He finishes fourth and Hamilton is outside the top eight * He finishes fifth and Hamilton is outside the top nine
Hamilton wins the title if: * He finishes first or second * He finishes third, fourth or fifth and Rosberg doesn't win * He finishes sixth and Rosberg is outside the top three * He finishes eighth and Rosberg is outside the top four * He finish ninth or worse and Rosberg is outside the top five
and Heikki Kulta asked Seb if being team mates with Kimi would be easiest relationship and Seb just replied "Yes!" and "Kimi would say the same" after a few laughs he said a bit more it's around 25 minutes
Quote: Sonny wrote in post #8Sounds like Andrea finally got her announcement that Seb will be driving for Ferrari.. I'm glad we can all sleep easy now..
I could sleep all the time
The PC was funny and Seb so cheeky Some nice Kimi pictures from today
quoteKimi, it’s now official that Sebastian Vettel comes to Ferrari. What do you think about it? How do you think that life with the team mate will change? Only time will tell. It's nice that I can drive with Sebastian in the same team. Our goal must be to bring Ferrari back on top. Clearly we also want to have fun but the focus is on work.
Will it be easier to work with Vettel than Alonso? I know Sebastian at best of all drivers but I've never worked with him. He is always straightforward so I assume that nothing will change. I expect a normal guy as team mate, and that is meant positively.
Does it help a bit if someone comes to Ferrari who perhaps has a different driving style? No, I don’t agree. I have to see myself how I can get more out of the car. This has nothing to do with the teammate. Next year's car will be different anyway. So it should be better.
How big is your belief that 2015 everything will be better? I have biggest confidence in the staff of Ferrari. We know what we need to do. But there is never a guarantee in life.
You won here three years ago. Abu Dhabi is something special for you? Every win is nice, but the years change. Today we are at the same place, but with a bit different car. Let's see how it goes this time.
You have experience with World Championship final. How do you see the current situation? I was always behind at that time and at the end I was in front. This isn’t to be compared with the situation of Nico and Lewis, they have fought all year at the top at eye level. What happens is impossible to say. Since the smallest detail can decide everything.
So who will be world champion now? And please don't say you don't care. Mercedes.
quoteFerrari Fernando Alonso, P1 - 1:45.184, 3rd; P2 - No time "It was a real shame losing the opportunity to take part in the second free practice session here at Yas Marina, as it's the only chance to get an idea of how things will really go this weekend. On my second lap, the car just stopped unexpectedly and even though the marshals did their best to push the car back to the pits in time to get it back out on track, the work took the mechanics longer than expected. In the first session, we managed to complete our programme and the car behaved as expected, but the temperature, much hotter than it will be in qualifying and the race, means the data we acquired is not that relevant. For the same reason, tomorrow's third session won't be that useful and that means the first lap to match conditions in qualifying and the race, in the dark in the afternoon, will be the first lap in Q1. We definitely won't be that well prepared but all the same, we will try our best as usual."
Kimi Raikkonen, P1 - 1:46.131, 12th; P2 - 1:43.489, 7th "It was a very busy day and, particularly in the first session, we struggled a bit to find the right balance on the car. The programme included various set-up tests and, probably partly because of the high temperatures, my car felt rather nervous. Between the two sessions, we decided to make a few changes and in FP2, with lower temperatures, things improved, also in terms of how we compared to our competitors. My best lap wasn't perfect, I made a small mistake. Overall, the work we did today produced positive results and this evening's analysis of the data will deliver a lot of useful information to help us improve for qualifying and the race."
Pat Fry, Ferrari chassis director "At the Yas Marina track, the first and third practice sessions don't tell you much, because of the effect of the high temperatures on the tyres. Usually, the level of grip gets better as the sun sets and in FP2 the track and air conditions produce a more similar picture to the one we can expect in the race, allowing for a better idea of car balance and a clearer understanding of the tyres. Here, it's important to find the right compromise between aerodynamic and mechanical grip for the twisty section, trying to make turn-in easier in the corners while also have good top speed on the long straights. As was the case in Brazil, tyre management will be a key factor. For the first time at this track we have the Soft and Supersoft tyres and this choice opens up various strategy choices, also taking into account the limited life of the softer compound. In the second session, an electrical problem meant Fernando had to park the car on track and the guys are now fixing the problem for tomorrow's practice. This incident is further proof that reliability, down to the smallest detail, is a major challenge for all teams, even right to the last race. It won't be an easy weekend, but we'll be trying to score as many points as possible, given that every position is worth double."