The F1 Strategy Group met in London on Friday to discuss a number of changes to the regulations.
These included extending the double points scheme and making tweaks to the qualifying format to spice up the top 10 shoot-out.
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's proposal to increase the amount of races worth double points from one to three (USA, Brazil and Abu Dhabi) was rejected by the group, which is made up of Ecclestone, FIA president Jean Todt and six teams: Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren and Williams.
Despite Ecclestone and Todt having as many votes each as the teams combined, the decision must be unanimous for a proposal to be approved.
The confirmation of the double points rule for the 2014 season finale was met by a hugely negative reaction from fans; with many feeling it was a gimmicky and unnecessary rule change. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel branded it "absurd" and Nico Rosberg recently said during a Twitter Q&A that it "sucks".
In an online poll carried out by popular site F1 Fanatic, 96% of voters were against the idea. The controversial double points rule is unfortunately here to stay.
The F1 Strategy Group also discussed changes to qualifying, to try and boost the spectacle of the final session and put a stop to drivers sitting out of the top 10 shoot-out to save tyres.
AUTOSPORT reports that the tweaks were given the green light at the meeting. The proposed revisions will see drivers start the race on the tyres that they set their fastest time on in Q2, rather than Q3, with an extra set of tyres being provided for the final session.
Q1 will be reduced from 20 to 18 minutes, while Q3 will be extended from 10 minutes to 12. The changes will now go to a vote of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council to be ratified before being added to the 2014 regulations in time for the season opener in Australia.
In light of the power-unit problems experienced by Renault, an extension to the engine homologation deadline was also discussed. This is where manufacturers supply the FIA with an engine specification which is then frozen and cannot be developed during the season.
However, the manufacturers can apply to the FIA if changes need to be made for safety, reliability or cost saving reasons. Extending the homologation deadline was not agreed to by the group.
The BBC and Auto Motor und Sport reported on Friday that Renault had requested an extension to the homologation date. However, head of track operations Remi Taffin denied the claims and said the process has been completed successfully.
"I think if I said no to this question, that it would not have helped, I would be a liar," he is quoted by AUTOSPORT. "Anything you can do in three months is a help whether it is performance or reliability. "But I don't think we needed that time. We have an engine that is with the FIA and that is how we are going to run in Melbourne.
"We have gone through the normal [homologation] process. We have built an engine, had it viewed by the FIA so they have got it now and that is how we will build our engine for Melbourne."
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| © Lotus F1 Team |
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's proposal to increase the amount of races worth double points from one to three (USA, Brazil and Abu Dhabi) was rejected by the group, which is made up of Ecclestone, FIA president Jean Todt and six teams: Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren and Williams.
Despite Ecclestone and Todt having as many votes each as the teams combined, the decision must be unanimous for a proposal to be approved.
The confirmation of the double points rule for the 2014 season finale was met by a hugely negative reaction from fans; with many feeling it was a gimmicky and unnecessary rule change. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel branded it "absurd" and Nico Rosberg recently said during a Twitter Q&A that it "sucks".
In an online poll carried out by popular site F1 Fanatic, 96% of voters were against the idea. The controversial double points rule is unfortunately here to stay.
The F1 Strategy Group also discussed changes to qualifying, to try and boost the spectacle of the final session and put a stop to drivers sitting out of the top 10 shoot-out to save tyres.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
Q1 will be reduced from 20 to 18 minutes, while Q3 will be extended from 10 minutes to 12. The changes will now go to a vote of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council to be ratified before being added to the 2014 regulations in time for the season opener in Australia.
In light of the power-unit problems experienced by Renault, an extension to the engine homologation deadline was also discussed. This is where manufacturers supply the FIA with an engine specification which is then frozen and cannot be developed during the season.
However, the manufacturers can apply to the FIA if changes need to be made for safety, reliability or cost saving reasons. Extending the homologation deadline was not agreed to by the group.
The BBC and Auto Motor und Sport reported on Friday that Renault had requested an extension to the homologation date. However, head of track operations Remi Taffin denied the claims and said the process has been completed successfully.
"I think if I said no to this question, that it would not have helped, I would be a liar," he is quoted by AUTOSPORT. "Anything you can do in three months is a help whether it is performance or reliability. "But I don't think we needed that time. We have an engine that is with the FIA and that is how we are going to run in Melbourne.
"We have gone through the normal [homologation] process. We have built an engine, had it viewed by the FIA so they have got it now and that is how we will build our engine for Melbourne."
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