Formula 1 teams in fresh penalty points system discussions

[Rob]

Formula 1 teams are set for fresh discussions at the Spanish Grand Prix about implementing a driver penalty points system.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting is scheduled to meet teams at a gathering of the Sporting Working Group think-tank ahead of the Barcelona race to discuss potential future rule changes.

AUTOSPORT has learned that as well as discussions about framing a testing schedule for 2014 - which would require a change to the F1 regulations – the agenda also includes further talks about the introduction of penalty points on licences.

Although there has been support for the move from a number of teams during initial talks on the matter, there has not yet been the unanimous support that will be needed for an introduction later this season.

In a bid to try and ease concerns from some outfits that a host of minor infringements by a driver could lead to a costly penalty later in the campaign, the FIA has already been trialling a mock system to show the impact of totting up.

This will be evaluated at the SWG meeting to try and win over the sceptics.

Whiting said earlier this year that one of the key issues that needed resolving was that any hefty punishments handed out as a result of penalty points being accrued were deemed worthy.

"It's a complex question and we need to get the balance right because banning a driver is a serious issue," he said. "We need to make sure a driver genuinely deserves any ban.

"We will be monitoring offences and running a [hypothetical] system in the background to see how it would all work if put into practice. We need to do that for a while."

F1 drivers are keen for the penalty points systems to be introduced because that would then bring an end to the fines they have been handed for pitlane speeding offences this year.

As revealed by AUTOSPORT, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) had sought clarification from the FIA about why they were still being fined for speeding this year when a deal agreed over a hike in superlicence fees was supposed to have stopped financial penalties.

Following discussions with the FIA, the GPDA has been happy to hold fire on the fines issue until the penalty points issue is resolved.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107138

[fratelliferrari]

Lucky for Grosjean the penalty licence system wasn't there in 2012 !

[raylinds]

I'm excited about the prospect of bringing back testing in 2014.

[wisepie]

Lucky for Grosjean the penalty licence system wasn't there in 2012 !

He's not alone, fratelli, there are several drivers who have been naughty boys last year, Senna on Felipe in Valencia, Hammy a few times, and MS too, just for a selection. Not sure whether penalties should have an effect on championship points, though, that's just adding confusion, so I don't really understand how it would work. And the return of testing for 2014 would be welcomed by everyone, even if it's quite limited.

[sagi58]

...there has not yet been the unanimous support that will be needed for an introduction later this season...

If that's what they're waiting for, I would bet that it won't be happening in the foreseeable future!!

[impactX]

Nice, a driver can have negative points by end of season and can be the negative WDC.

[Katu]

Nice, a driver can have negative points by end of season and can be the negative WDC.

i like that idea