The recent fuss over the FIA apparently introducing the "winner takes all" system for deciding the drivers' championship in 2010 has now been deflated by an amended F1 regulations document being published on the FIA site. It seems that the original clause (article 6.1) instituting Bernie's Big Idea was a mistake and that next year the same system we all know and love (well, tolerate) will continue in force.
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We can be grateful for that, at least, but I cannot resist pointing out the rather FIA-esque method of correcting the error. Instead of saying, "Oops," and pointing out that the change from points to wins had not been intended, thereafter announcing the amended regulations document, the FIA quietly replaced the original, leaving it to alert bloggers to discover the swap. If the alleged date of the replacement is correct, the change occurred two days ago - suspiciously the same date as the original publication.
Strange that no one noticed the alteration, especially in view of the uproar the original document caused and the numbers of readers it must have acquired as a result. One is tempted to believe that it was no mistake at all and the FIA have merely thought better of the plan after seeing how unpopular it was.
Yes, I know, it all reeks of conspiracy theories; but that is what the FIA has tended to foster with its political style in the Mosley years. An organization that has so often announced outrageous changes to the formula with the hidden intention of achieving agreement from the teams on something a little less controversial must accept that its motives will always be suspected.
And when Formula One Management in the shape of Bernie Ecclestone delights in confusing every issue by saying one thing one moment and another the next (now come on, Bernie, did you or did you not say that the budget cap was bound to increase from 40 million sterling?), one has to ferret out meaning from the clues given, rather than accept anything at its face value.
It is hardly the way to run an important international sport, especially one that involves the expenditure of huge amounts of money. But that is F1 today...