The ultimate gimmick?

[IndyAndy]

The FIA has announced a few 'tweaks' to how things are done in Formula One starting next year, including one that has already unleashed a firestorm of anger from all sides; drivers, teams and fans.

In an effort to make the World Drivers' Championship chase more exciting, the final Grand Prix of the season will now be worth twice as many championship points as the other events on the calendar.

www.bbc.com/sport

Four-time & defending WDC Sebastian Vettel, who clinched his latest title with two GPs still to be run, says that such a rule "punishes those who have worked hard for a whole season."

www.7daysindubai.com

I whole-heartedly agree: I hope that the FIA will reconsider this idea - SOON!!

 

[Schmoopy1000]

be thankful they are not using a silly gimmick like the Chase for the Chumpionship!

 

[bored at work]

I might be okay with it. In a way, it's a bit similar to some of the sports we watch. F1 doesn't have playoffs, but in the NFL you can beat a team twice during the season, but if they beat you once in January, you're done. In college basketball, you can beat a team 3 times during the season, but if they beat you one time in March, you're done. In baseball, you can beat a team 15+ times but if they take 3 of 5 from you in October, you're done.

And, if next season, Kimi or Alonso overcome a 26 point deficit to beat Vettel, most people will love the gimmick.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

except in racing every one faces the same competition at the same time. & all on the same field & with all the same conditions. If one team is struggling all the other teams play that team while they are struggling. Same if you face a team that is hot. Not like say in football where they all have different schedules. & even the teams you might play the same, it is under different conditions. Like playing GB at home early in the season or playing GB in GB late in the year.
Everyones schedule is the exact same. In racing there is no place or need for playoff systems. The best that year should be the Champion. Not the team that didn't have a part failure late in the season.
The Chase makes me sick! Sometimes the end of the points system is climatic like in 92' but atleast the Championship team earned their Championships back then.

 

[bored at work]

There is no need for playoffs in just about any sport...or at least playoffs with as many teams as there currently are. In 2007, the Patriots went 18-1 and beat everyone on their schedule. They were unquestionably the best football team that year. But a 14-6 Giants team was crowned champion despite only going 1-1 against the Pats. Baseball plays 162 games..there is no need for playoffs to determine the best team. Each NBA team plays each NBA team...no need for playoffs there either. Funny how no one complains when a college basketball team who lost 1 game during the season gets taken out by a team that lost 10. Or when a hockey team gets taken out of the playoffs by a team who won 15 fewer games. Ironically, college football is pretty much the only sport that needs a playoff because it has so many teams and so few games.

I'm not saying racing needs these gimmicks. But every other sport has gimmicks to make the end of the season more exciting as well. So I accept the Chase and this double point F1 race as not really much different from any sport I watch. I'm sure people complained when playoffs were added before the World Series...and when more rounds of playoffs were added to the NFL post season. And we have recently experienced complaints at expansion in MLB and NCAA Tourney post-seasons.

I think there could be gimmicks that cross the line...but these ones haven't quite crossed mine yet.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

There is no need for playoffs in just about any sport...or at least playoffs with as many teams as there currently are. In 2007, the Patriots went 18-1 and beat everyone on their schedule. They were unquestionably the best football team that year. But a 14-6 Giants team was crowned champion despite only going 1-1 against the Pats. Baseball plays 162 games..there is no need for playoffs to determine the best team. Each NBA team plays each NBA team...no need for playoffs there either. Funny how no one complains when a college basketball team who lost 1 game during the season gets taken out by a team that lost 10. Or when a hockey team gets taken out of the playoffs by a team who won 15 fewer games. Ironically, college football is pretty much the only sport that needs a playoff because it has so many teams and so few games.

I'm not saying racing needs these gimmicks. But every other sport has gimmicks to make the end of the season more exciting as well. So I accept the Chase and this double point F1 race as not really much different from any sport I watch. I'm sure people complained when playoffs were added before the World Series...and when more rounds of playoffs were added to the NFL post season. And we have recently experienced complaints at expansion in MLB and NCAA Tourney post-seasons.

I think there could be gimmicks that cross the line...but these ones haven't quite crossed mine yet.

I agree with you about the amount of teams in playoffs.
But in the stick & ball sports they don't all play the same schedules. I see the need for playoffs. an 11-5 NFL team can actually be better than a 13-3 team. Just playing different schedules & at different times (on some teams they might play the same) Ironically the one sport that screams a need for playoffs doesn't have one. As you mentioned. College Football.
but in racing everyone deals with everything at the same time.