[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by treadmark

November 9 - Brazil (Interlagos)
November 23 - Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)

This time it's Abu Dhabi and not Brazil who will stage the season finale.

That's a shame - the Brazilian GP always has a racing spirit about it, and is a great finish to the year. Abu Dhabi is more of a moneyed GP with glitterati, but no soul.

In both 2012 and 2013, the Brazilian GP helped end the season on a high - 2012 with the driver's championship being fought out lap by lap, and 2013 with drivers discovering their car in the dry for the first time in the weekend.

[polopm]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

Does Ron really need to up his stake in the company to prevent hiring Alonso? Would Kimi have been re-hired by Domenicalli if Luca did not approve?

Or Ron can make a public statement, in an interview or such, which implies that Alonso is unwelcome at McLaren. Alono's pride/arrogance will take care of the rest

This is just rumour mongering. Ron is old enough now not to make a come back to F1, these are just diversionary tactics applied by those who want Fernando to remain in Ferrari !

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

That's a shame - the Brazilian GP always has a racing spirit about it, and is a great finish to the year. Abu Dhabi is more of a moneyed GP with glitterati, but no soul.

Though I agree with you on the spirit what we see in Brazil cannot be matched by Abu Dhabi at any case and the wet tires will also be missed too, but then cant we ignore this when we can see racing at Yas-Marina on a backdrop of twilight between sunset and dusk as "zenren" stated?

Cheers!

[deetjohn]

Jean Todt officially re-elected as FIA president.

Source

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by polopm

This is just rumour mongering. Ron is old enough now not to make a come back to F1, these are just diversionary tactics applied by those who want Fernando to remain in Ferrari !

Absolutely. Dennis might be buying into McLaren for business reasons. If he wanted to come back as team principal, he could do that anytime. But that is highly unlikely, as he is committed to growing the McLaren road car division.

The easier and more likely alternative is, that if McLaren continue to slide next year, Ross Brawn could be looked at as a future team leader, with his close ties to Honda from the Brawn GP days.

[Hatari]

I think 2014 will be the most exciting year in terms of F1 tech and its usage.
Drivers had a KERS boost button this year, but in 2014 ERS is built into the engine!

[StarrySky]

Given the change in engine formula and other changes like the ERS, I fear that reliability will play a huge role in determining the winners in 2014. At least during the first half of the year.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by Hatari

Drivers had a KERS boost button this year, but in 2014 ERS is built into the engine!

Doesn't this take away the driver skill? Currently, the better drivers used KERS to block the opponents as well as overtake someone back immediately after a DRS move by not defending much in the DRS zone and reserving the KERS for the exit out of the corner. With the KERS control going away from the driver, I don't know if such brilliant moves would be history.

Originally Posted by StarrySky

Given the change in engine formula and other changes like the ERS, I fear that reliability will play a huge role in determining the winners in 2014. At least during the first half of the year.

Reliability will be a big worry for next year. I think each driver gets a maximum of four or five engines for the entire year and gets penalized for every additional engine used. Even with a reliable engine, its a tough target to meet. So a premature blowout would certainly make things worse.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by zenren

I think each driver gets a maximum of four or five engines for the entire year and gets penalized for every additional engine used. Even with a reliable engine, its a tough target to meet. So a premature blowout would certainly make things worse.

What is the penalty? Grid drop for next race or fine?
If its the former that would mix it up even further : 0

[zenren]

Originally Posted by Maky

What is the penalty? Grid drop for next race or fine?
If its the former that would mix it up even further : 0

Limit is 5 engines for the entire season with each engine required to last at least 4000km. Using an extra engine means the driver needs to start the race from the pit lane. Also note that pit lane speed limit has been decreased from 100 to 80km/h which would make this penalty even worse.

If they change any component within the engine like KERS or turbo, it gives a 10-place grid penalty.

Another new reform is the awarding of penalty points for each offense committed. Once the cumulative penalty reaches 12, the driver gets a 1 race ban.

[deetjohn]

Double the points in the last race from 2014

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111795

[zenren]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Double the points in the last race from 2014

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111795

This is just plain stupid and short-sighted. The logic given in the argument was that the 2008 and 2012 results would have been inverted by the final race being given double points. In those two seasons as well as 2007 and 2010 where the final race determined the WDC, everyone was watching the final race till the last lap even otherwise. In the 2011 and 2013 seasons, there was nothing that would have changed even with double points in final race. So what is the whole point of this nonsense?

If this is implemented, I've got to say I'll stop calling F1 a sport and label it another entertainment program. If it were a sport, there is no reason a sportsman or a team should get unfair advantage for a better performance in a specific leg of the championship.

A win in any GP should be treated the same way, same as a misfortune. A blowout or an accident causing you to retire shouldn't get penalized with double points just because it is the last race of the season. If these are the new norms, I wouldn't see another crashgate scandal next year as illegal since anything works in entertainment as longs as the crowd cheers.

I know all these new rules are proposed to see somebody else beat Vettel to the WDC next year and everyone would be happy if that happens. However, just imagine a situation where Vettel is trailing Alonso and Kimi going into the final race but wins the final race and gets the championship thanks to double points!

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by zenren

This is just plain stupid and short-sighted.

+1

Originally Posted by zenren

I know all these new rules are proposed to see somebody else beat Vettel to the WDC next year and everyone would be happy if that happens.

Don't think stopping Vettel is the goal. Guess who has won the most at Yas Marina? I think they are looking to add more drama to the finale. Yeah, I agree. This is bad for the sport. But they are looking for theatre and entertainment!

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

But they are looking for theatre and entertainment!

Well put - this is no longer sport, its just entertainment. Who would have thought our Indian Government was prescient enough to classify F1 as entertainment and subject to entertainment tax

[zenren]

I'm just curious about what would happen to someone if they cross the 12 penalty points just before the last race and gets a 1 race ban?

The best strategy for anyone with a chance of crossing the 12 penalty points in Brazil would be to actually commit an offense in United States and take the race ban for Brazil instead of risking a race ban for the last race.

With this double points, they would effectively be getting a 2-race ban instead of 1 from the points perspective if the ban is for the last race.