FIA introduces Pole Position Trophy

[SectorOne]

One new has popped up. Don´t worry, it won´t fck things up like the double point rule.

The FIA has confirmed a new pole position trophy will be introduced from the 2014 season onwards.

An updated version of the 2014 Sporting Regulations has been released by the FIA, with article 6.7 reading: "A trophy will be awarded to the driver who sets the most pole positions during the championship season (see Article 36.2). In the event of a tie the holder of the greatest number of second places will be taken into account and, if there is still the tie, the holder of the greatest number of third places and so on until a winner emerges.

"If this procedure fails to produce a result, the FIA will nominate the winner according to such criteria as it thinks fit."

I actually hope they have to use the last sentence. I´d love to hear the reasoning behind their decision.

[Richard]

That proposal needs a quick reality check -how many times has the person with the most poles not been the WDC?

[stefan_]

I'm seriously thinking that the people at the FIA are very drunk when they come up with these ideas.

[radosav]

I would apply all point system changes retroactive!
It would be nice to lose some F1 champions and to get few new , to have at one period of time some drivers who are multiple WDC , and at other period of time other drivers becoming multiple WDC.

[tim|away]

That proposal needs a quick reality check -how many times has the person with the most poles not been the WDC?

In 23 out of 64 seasons of F1 (1950-2013) the WDC has had fewer pole positions than another driver. This is excluding the seasons in which the WDC tied for most pole positions with another driver. Therefore, the likelihood of the WDC not having most pole positions is 23/64 or roughly 36%.

1950
Juan Fangio -> 4 Poles
Nino Farina (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1959
Stirling Moss -> 4 Poles
Tony Brooks -> 2 Poles
Jack Brabham (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1960
Stirling Moss -> 4 Poles
Jack Brabham (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1962
Jim Clark -> 6 Poles
Graham Hill (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1964
Jim Clark -> 5 Poles
John Surtees (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1967
Jim Clark -> 6 Poles
Graham Hill -> 3 Poles
Jack Brabham -> 2 Poles
Denny Hulme (WDC) -> 0 Poles

1968
Chris Amon -> 3 Poles
Graham Hill (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1969
Jochen Rindt -> 5 Poles
Jackie Stewart (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1970
Jackie Stewart -> 4 Poles
Jacky Ickx -> 4 Poles
Jochen Rindt (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1972
Jacky Ickx -> 4 Poles
Emerson Fittipaldi (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1973
Ronnie Peterson -> 9 Poles
Jackie Stewart (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1974
Niki Lauda -> 9 Poles
Emerson Fittipaldi (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1977
Mario Andretti -> 7 Poles
James Hunt -> 6 Poles
Niki Lauda (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1979
Jacques Laffite -> 4 Poles
Jean-Pierre Jabouille -> 4 Poles
Alan Jones -> 3 Poles
Rene Arnoux -> 2 Poles
Jody Scheckter (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1982
Rene Arnoux -> 5 Poles
Alain Prost -> 5 Poles
Didier Pironi -> 2 Poles
Keke Rosberg (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1983
Patrick Tambay -> 4 Poles
Rene Arnoux -> 4 Poles
Alain Prost -> 3 Poles
Nelson Piquet (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1984
Nelson Piquet -> 9 Poles
Alain Prost -> 3 Poles
Nigel Mansell -> 1 Poles
Elio de Angelis -> 1 Poles
Michele Alboreto -> 1 Poles
Patrick Tambay -> 1 Poles
Niki Lauda (WDC) -> 0 Poles

1985
Ayrton Senna -> 7 Poles
Alain Prost (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1986
Ayrton Senna -> 8 Poles
Teo Fabi -> 2 Poles
Nelson Piquet -> 2 Poles
Nigel Mansell -> 2 Poles
Alain Prost (WDC) -> 1 Poles

1989
Ayrton Senna -> 13 Poles
Alain Prost (WDC) -> 2 Poles

1995
Damon Hill -> 7 Poles
David Coulthard -> 5 Poles
Michael Schumacher (WDC) -> 4 Poles

2007
Felipe Massa -> 6 Poles
Lewis Hamilton -> 6 Poles
Kimi Räikkönen (WDC) -> 3 Poles

2012
Lewis Hamilton -> 7 Poles
Sebastian Vettel (WDC) -> 6 Poles

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For the sake of completeness, there are 4 seasons in which the WDC tied for most pole positions with another driver.

1980
Rene Arnoux -> 3 Poles
Alan Jones (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1981
Rene Arnoux -> 4 Poles
Nelson Piquet (WDC) -> 4 Poles

2002
Michael Schumacher (WDC) -> 7 Poles
Juan Pablo Montoya -> 7 Poles

2009
Lewis Hamilton -> 4 Poles
Sebastian Vettel -> 4 Poles
Jenson Button (WDC) -> 4 Poles

[Stradivarius]

For the sake of completeness, there are 4 seasons in which the WDC tied for most pole positions with another driver.

1980
Rene Arnoux -> 3 Poles
Alan Jones (WDC) -> 3 Poles

1981
Rene Arnoux -> 4 Poles
Nelson Piquet (WDC) -> 4 Poles

2002
Michael Schumacher (WDC) -> 7 Poles
Juan Pablo Montoya -> 7 Poles

2009
Lewis Hamilton -> 4 Poles
Sebastian Vettel -> 4 Poles
Jenson Button (WDC) -> 4 Poles

You could add that Arnoux qualified 2nd three times in 1980, and Jones qualified 2nd only once, so Arnoux would have gotten the trophy.

In 1981, Arnoux would have gotten it again, as he qualified 2nd twice, while Piquet qualified 2nd only once.

In 2002, Schumacher qualified 2nd six times, while Montoya qualified 2nd only once, so Schumacher would have gotten the trophy.

In 2009, Hamilton never qualified 2nd, Button qualified 2nd once, while Vettel qualified 2nd four times, so Vettel would have gotten the trophy.

Hence, the trophy would go to someone other than the world champion 26 out of 64 times, or roughly 41%.

However, the correlation between qualifying and points seems a lot stronger in the past 20 years, which could be explained both by the overtaking issues caused by the increased aerodynamic disadvantage of running behind someone else, as well as the parc ferme regulations that prevent major changes between qualifying and race.