Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Aja and Salma mountains draw nature lovers to Hail's rugged landscapes    US revokes all visas for South Sudanese nationals over deportation dispute    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 3,471    Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egypt and Jordan in Cairo    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



FIA alters rules to woo fans
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 11 - 12 - 2013

LONDON — Formula One is to award double points for the last race of the season in a controversial attempt to keep championships undecided to the very end after four years of Red Bull domination.
The novelty, immediately dismissed by some angry fans as a needless gimmick, was the most eye-catching of several rule changes announced by the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) Monday.
The FIA said double points would “maximize focus on the championship until the end of the campaign” and had been unanimously approved at a meeting in Paris of teams in the F1 Strategy Group and Formula One Commission.
Next year's season-ender is the day-to-night race in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 23. With the points haul on offer, that often processional event becomes worth twice as much as Monza or Monaco — the glamor highlight of the season — and the same in scoring terms as classics like Spa and Suzuka combined.
Fans were quick to express dismay and anger on social media, with a snap poll of 100 members on the f1fanatic.com website showing 92 percent opposed to the idea.
Others pointed out that bad luck in the final race would have a far greater impact on the title outcome than at any other point in the season.
The FIA also announced that the principle of a global cost cap had been unanimously approved, with the aim of introducing it from January 2015.
The Paris-based body said a working group, made up of the FIA, commercial rights holder and team representatives, would be established so that regulations could be approved by the end of June next year.
Formula One has tried before to implement a budget cap, with previous proposals bogged down in argument about what should be exempt and how to police any measures in a sport full of commercial secrecy.
However, several teams are struggling to stay afloat financially in a sport where budgets range from $60 million a year to well in excess of $200 million.
A change to the system of driver numbers was agreed, with drivers in future carrying their number through their career in Formula One rather than taking a new one every year depending on where they finished.
The number one will be reserved for the world champion, should he decide to use it.
Should more than one driver choose the same number, preference will be given to the man who finished highest in the previous year's championship.
The concept is already used in MotoGP, with Italian Valentino Rossi famed for his No. 46, while the late Canadian Gilles Villeneuve is still associated with the 27 on his Ferrari.
The FIA did not say what would happen to a number when a driver drops out of Formula One or whether certain particularly evocative ones might be retired.
The principle of a five-second penalty for minor infringements was also accepted for 2014, with teams to discuss how it should be applied.
DiCaprio involved with Formula E team
Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio will be involved in the new Formula E electric racing series as a co-founder of the Monaco-based Venturi team that has secured the 10th and final entry.
The 10 city championship is due to start up next year, with the first race in Beijing in September.
“The future of our planet depends on our ability to embrace fuel-efficient, clean-energy vehicles,” the 39-year-old ‘Great Gatsby' and ‘Titanic' actor, known for his environmental activism, said in a statement Monday.
Formula E races, sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation, will be staged in city centers around the world and backers hope the series will increase the market for battery-powered vehicles and advance the technology behind them. — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.