FIA reveals medal analysis

Source:
http://f1.gpupdate. net/en/news/ 2009/01/30/ fia-reveals- medal-analysis/

FIA reveals medal analysis

The FIA has made public details of its analysis into the effect of the introduction of a possible medal sustem in F1 in which the top three at each race win a gold, silver and bronze medal respectively.

The scheme, proposed by Bernie Ecclestone, would award the drivers' championship to the winner of the most races, not the driver with the most points at the end of the season, theoretically making drivers fight harder for a race win, rather than settling for second place.

The FIA's analysis shows that the medal system would change the outcomes of past World Championships considerably. Only 22 of the 59 World Championships to date would have the same top 3. The other 37 World Championships would be different. The World Champion would be altered on 13 occasions.

The medal system would create three "new" World Champions who did not win the title using the various points systems. The overall effect would be to reduce the number of World Champions, concentrating the titles in a smaller group. The results that would change are largely before 1990. The last 20 years would be largely unchanged.

In the overall assessment the list of World Championships per driver would be altered as follows:

1958 Stirling Moss instead of Mike Hawthorn
1964 Jim Clark instead of John Surtees
1967 Jim Clark instead of Denny Hulme
1977 Mario Andretti instead of Niki Lauda
1979 Alan Jones instead of Jody Scheckter
1981 Alain Prost instead of Nelson Piquet
1982 Didier Pironi instead of Keke Rosberg
1983 Alain Prost instead of Nelson Piquet
1984 Alain Prost instead of Niki Lauda
1986 Nigel Mansell instead of Alain Prost
1987 Nigel Mansell instead of Nelson Piquet
1989 Ayrton Senna instead of Alain Prost
2008 Felipe Massa instead of Lewis Hamilton

The duration of the World Championship battle would have been altered in 22 of the 59seasons. The medal system would have had no effect in 37 of the 59 World Championships.

Fourteen World Championship battles would have been shorter (1955, 1970, 1978, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004).

Eight World Championship battles would have lasted longer (1973, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1990, 1991, 2001 and 2005).

In terms of World Championship final race showdowns, there would have been five lost (1955, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000) but six gained (1977, 1979, 1980, 1990, 1991 and 2005).