Formula 1 rules and regulations?

Question

I've been reading my F1 racing mag and came across this:

Article 7, the dead heat

7.1 Prizes and points awarded for all the positions of competitors who tie, will be added together and shared equally.

7.2 If two or more constrctors or drivers finish the season with the same number of points, the higher place in the Championship (in either case) shall be awarded to:

a) the holder of the greatest number of first places,

b) if the number of first places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of second places,

c) if the number of second places is the same, the holder of the greatest number of third places and so on until a winner emerges.

d) IF THIS PROCEDURE FAILS TO PRODUCE A RESULT, THE FIA WILL NOMINATE THE WINNER ACCORDING TO SUCH CRITERIA AS IT THINKS FIT.

What criteria do you think the FIA would deem as 'fit'?

Also has this ever actually happened?

Answer 1

Rosbif has once again provided one h**l of a brilliant answer. I just want to say I hope it never comes to that. could you imagine the ructions if it did? It would be 'He only won because he has a red car' or 'he only won because he drives a silver car and has everything on a plate'. Why can't they have a tie? it would sure as h**l be a more diplomatic answer should the situation ever arise.

Answer 2

Rosbif "awe" is the feeling!!!

I will just add that statistically speaking the condition 'd' is effectively impossible.

If condition 'd' happens (theoretically), wouldnt a coin toss be a simple alternative?

Answer 3

I would suppose that once you got past the race results they'd have to do it on qualification, that would seem fairest.

Of course some might say that it would come down to the colour of the car if one happened to be red.

Answer 4

Rosbif does it again. How does he know everything?

Anyway maybe they'll look at the drivers' race stats and also if the driver clocked in any disqualifications or penalties that season

Answer 5

The criteria they mention in the rules are thought to include number of kilometres in the lead, average qualifying position and most points scored in the last race of the season; however as it's never been needed, they have never had to define the criteria and open them up to all the legal scrutiny that would entail.

There has never been a tie on points for either F1 title, the narrowest drivers' wins being:

Lauda 0.5pts in 1984*

Hawthorn 1pt in 1958*

P.Hill 1pt in 1961

Surtees 1pt in 1964

Hunt 1pt in 1976

Piquet 1pt in 1981

M.Schumacher 1pt in 1994

Raikkonen 1pt in 2007.

* Only Lauda and Hawthorn would have lost the title on countback had their scores with Prost and Moss finished level, and both had fewer wins...just goes to show that the criteria really are a matter of last resort!

EDIT Of course, last season second place was decided on countback, Hamilton beating Alonso by five 2nd places to four. Coulthard finished 3rd ahead of Alesi in 4th in 1997 with two wins to nil; Nelson and Berger had the same result in 1990. Pironi beat Watson to second place in the championship in 1982 by two 3rd places to one. Ickx (4th) and Siffert (5th) were seperated by one 3rd place in 1971; Surtees and Amon finished in the same championship positions in 1967 thanks to Surtees' win in Italy, which repeated what Bandini and Ginther had done in 1964. Graham Hill beat Ginther to 2nd place in 1963 by 2 wins to nil, and Moss took 3rd in the championship off of Gurney by the same score in 1961. Rudi Fischer got 4th place off of Hawthorn in 1952 by one 2nd place to nil too. Those are the only occasions on which the top 5 places in the championship have been decided on countback; obviously it has happened virtually every season in the lower reaches of the championship table.