Will fastest lap point system work?

[timbo]

The current system is fine except that the race always gets really boring when drivers starts to nurse their tyres to the chequered flag. With FL point system, perhaps it will encourage drivers to take some risk towards the end and go for the fastest lap.

All depends on circumstances. Haven't you seen Canada this year? Last year? Plenty of action down to checkered flag.

[Stradivarius]

I won't give points for FL, but I'm thinking of giving a bonus to the driver who has most FL in a year. The bonus equal to points for victory.


But really, I don't think there's a need to disturb a system as it is. People complain about "artificial" DRS overtakes, and you want to add artificial end-of-the-race-rush-hour? Really?

The current system is fine except that the race always gets really boring when drivers starts to nurse their tyres to the chequered flag. With FL point system, perhaps it will encourage drivers to take some risk towards the end and go for the fastest lap.

As already mentioned, the best way to set a fastest lap at the end of the race is to make one single attempt with clear track ahead. You wouldn't get more than one single lap and probably only from a few drivers, as most of them are not realistically in contention. This will of course depend on strategy and when they make their final pitstop, so everyone who makes an early last stop will know that they won't be able to compete for fastest lap, unless they expect to be much easier on the tyres.

If you want to change something in order to get more action at the end of the races, I think it is a better idea to re introduce the system that was used until 1991, when the 6 (or some other number which is found suitable today) worst race results didn't count. This will at least allow drivers to take risks in some races without taking risks in the championship. Of course, it would probably not help much the problem that you are describing as long as the tyres are the way they are. You simply can't change the fact that the best result is achieved by finishing the race in the shortest time possible (unless fastest lap is awarded 8 points or more), and in order to finish the race in the shortest time possible, the drivers need to look after their tyres. The only way around this problem is to make tyres with sufficiently low degradation, so it makes no difference, but then we are back to 1-stop races where everyone has more or less the same tyre performance at all times, which will mean less overtaking in addition to fewer pitstops. I am not sure that is the way to go either.

[Slife]

Drivers out of the points would drop back to get a clear track to do a faster lap, so it wouldn't really make racing more entertaining.

But in a broader sence, why is there alot of focus in making F1 more entertaining ? If you want F1 to be entertaining, turn F1 to F1E (E for entertainment), where the races are scripted and the drivers act out rivalries and such.

[Feint]

Id like to make a points system where the top 20 get points for finishing no more than 2 laps down. Add a little spice into the whole points system. So if you are 'fast' enough you get points. On tracks that are longer you have a better chance if you are a Caterham or Marussia, but shorter tracks you have a lot less opportunity. But only for first 20 drivers.

Im thinking this;

P1 = 100
P2 = 90
P3 = 82
P4 = 75
P5 = 68
P6 = 63
P7 = 58
P8 = 50
P9 = 44
P10 = 40
P11 = 32
P12 = 27
P13 = 22
P14 = 18
P15 = 14
P16 = 10
P17 = 7
P18 = 5
P19 = 3
P20 = 1

As for the present system fastest lap, make it 3 points for a driver that is in the points to take FL, and a point for people in P11 and lower. GUT would have had it in Spain this year. It would add in spice as well as it would make the strategists for cars lower down the grid teams to come in on the last few laps and bolt on a fresh set of boots and go for it just to get a point.

Your points allocation isn't very logical. You have it being more rewarding to move from 11th to 10th than moving 4th to 3rd. Each position should be at least as valuable as the one before it.

[Jersey Tom]

I am just wondering if it will help spice up sunday race if FIA starts awarding points for fastest lap of the race. The thinking behind this is to encourage drivers to take risk towards the end of the race instead of just nursing their tires.

Perhaps to make it more meaningful, the fastest lap points could only be awarded to drivers in the points (ie. top 10) so that team cannot just set up the cars for fastest lap

So first we introduced junk tires as a crutch to make for "better" racing... and now we're putting a crutch on the crutch?