Double points “probably not fair”, Ecclestone admits

2014 Bahrain Grand Prix

Posted on

| Written by

Bernie Ecclestone has acknowledged his plan to award double points for the last race of the season is unfair.

The new rule which awards double points for the final race of the season in Abi Dhabi had an overwhelmingly negative reception from fans when it was announced in December. A poll of F1 Fanatic readers indicated 96% opposed it.

However Ecclestone said in an interview with Sky: “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I’d have thought it wasn’t the right thing to do.”

Ecclestone originally wanted the final three races to all be worth double points. “I was concerned that the championship would still be maybe open with two or three races to go and then somebody could catch up,” he said.

He admitted awarding twice as many points for the last round was “probably not fair”

“Somebody’s done all that work early on, got so many points, and somebody can just pop in an do [it] in a couple of races.”

Eight days ahead of Red Bull’s appeal against Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix, Ecclestone said the matter was a cause for concern with Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

“He is not happy with the way the sport is begin run at the moment,” said Ecclestone. “And this is the sort of thing that could tip him over.”

“I’m sure Dietrich is there for the sport. What he doesn’t understand is silly regulations, which he [considers] silly, which is what happened in Australia, for a start.”

“I think we’ve got a little bit too clinical,” Ecclestone added. “I think the stewards should think a little bit more about the sport.”

2014 F1 season


Browse all 2014 F1 season articles

Image © Red Bull/Getty

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

25 comments on “Double points “probably not fair”, Ecclestone admits”

  1. Where is our Bernie and who is this imposter?

    1. knoxploration
      6th April 2014, 17:11

      He didn’t say he cared, or that the plan would be reverted. He just said it wasn’t fair, which is a statement of fact — but Bernie doesn’t care about fair, and will go ahead with it anyway.

      This is the Bernie we know and hate.

    2. Bernie always reverses himself at some stage, so that in the future he can take the credit for whichever scenario is succesful.

      1. Haha this made me laugh

  2. Fikri Harish (@)
    6th April 2014, 15:49

    Yeah, ‘probably’.

  3. Ben Thomas (@)
    6th April 2014, 15:54

    Has Bernie come to his senses? “Probably”.

  4. Now they are playing jokes on the fans? This isn’t even funny any more.

  5. I’m sure Dietrich isnt there for the sport.

    1. @austus, I thought exactly the same thing (Brundle interview with Bernie). Brundle also let Bernie off easy when he asked if Bernie is trying to knock the price down and buy the sport back. “Not really, no” is not “No.”

  6. Every time Bernie Shekelstone opens his mouth he proves beyond doubt he has lost the plot!!! His “artificially wet” race idea was the high point of his decline into dementia!!

    1. oops….forgot to add that his interview in Malaysia, where he answered questions with a question or gave almost single word answers was cringe inducing to watch. Hes absolutely clueless as to what to do now he can see the disaster he has created with this “new era” F1. Hopeless.

      1. @Racehound I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a carefully orchestrated public relations ploy so that people don’t take Bernie seriously, dismiss him as past it, and then he comes in with a killer move and takes control of some other huge part of the sport, for 100+ years…

  7. I’m sure it is.

  8. So it’s not fair but it was the right decision? For who Bernie?

  9. Wel Bernie, you are are two faced son of a female dog.
    Probably

  10. Michael Brown (@)
    6th April 2014, 18:04

    Ok, what is Bernie trying to direct our attention from this time?

  11. I think it would be better if he actually maintained a little bit of consistency and a shred of integrity, for the sake of F1’s reputation if nothing else. Either shut up or scrap it. I am perfectly happy hearing people complain about it, but not the fool who actually implemented it.

    1. Agreed.

      And he isn’t even making any sense. If he thought the Championships might be open with 2 or 3 races to go, then there should be no need to manipulate the results. That should bring us close enough to the end with a mystery still in it that points manipulation should not have been needed.

      But it’s not about the sport, it’s about the ratings.

      Yet when it comes to RBR deciding they knew better than the FIA, the stewards, and the other teams, and the stewards decided to hold them to account for not playing on the same level, THAT is unsporting of the stewards? Too ‘clinical’? Should RBR be able to design their own wing flex tests from now on?

  12. “I think the stewards should think a little bit more about the sport.” He is just trying to influence the outcome of the appeal.

  13. Has Bernie received a cheque from somebody to say this ?
    It’s like saying ” ok . I understand it’s a little bit unfair , but yeah , we will get on with it “

  14. Bernie Ecclestone is like the Jimmy “The Chin” Gigante of F1. He comes across as a doddering old simpleton, yet he manages to come out ahead all the time. Either he’s a strategic genius behind the scenes, or the rest of the F1 cabal are squabbling children who can’t get their act together to save their lives. Probably a bit of both. The double-points scheme might have had the tiniest shred of credibility had it been imposed with no other rules changes, but not at the same time as drastically changing the formula and half a dozen other rules changes for the 2014 season. In hindsight its looking completely indefensible and even Bernie can no longer pretend to deny it. If Mercedes lose a dominant season to a double-points award to a second-half resurgent Red Bull in the last race there’s going to be blood on the streets.

    1. +1, Jimmy the Chin is a great analogy, if you know his story.

  15. Can we, as fans, sue Bernie for bringing the sport into disrepute?

  16. Paul (@frankjaeger)
    7th April 2014, 1:44

    Absolute shocker when he said this. Sport and fair play should be mutual exclusive and the leading head in F1 should not be disregarding fair play within the sport

  17. This man is an imbecile at best…well past by his sell by date and should be consigned to the past where he belongs.

Comments are closed.