Most Formula 1 drivers who expressed an opinion on the series’ decision to drop the bonus point for fastest lap said they won’t miss it.
Since 2019, the driver who sets the fastest valid lap in a grand prix has been awarded an extra bonus point, so long as they finish inside the top ten positions.
However, in Thursday’s meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, it was decided that the bonus point for fastest lap will no longer be awarded as of next season. The decision comes weeks after the bonus point came under the spotlight after the Red Bull-owned RB team pitted Daniel Ricciardo late in the Singapore Grand Prix to fit fresher tyres and set the fastest lap, denying McLaren’s Lando Norris the fastest lap and bonus point in his pursuit of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the championship.
Asked if he would have wanted the bonus point for fastest lap to remain, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jnr admitted he was never a fan of it in the first place.
“I always was of the opinion that it was not needed in the points system of Formula 1, mainly because how it is achieved,” Sainz said.
“Right now that point goes to the one that has the free pit stop one lap to the end of the race. It’s not showing who is the fastest guy in the race – and he deserves one point for being the fastest guy – it’s just a point that goes to the guy that by chance, or by luck, or by race situation has a free pit stop at some point of the race. Not always, but in a lot of occasions. Most of the time.”
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon agreed with Sainz. “In the race, we race to win,” he said. “We don’t necessarily race to be fastest on one lap. I never thought that this is a good thing to have one point for the race.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Kevin Magnussen also said that the bonus point was little incentive for midfield teams like Haas.
“I think it’s something that very rarely is on our mind,” he said. “If we’re in the top ten, even if you’re P6 or P7, it’s very rare that you will have a pit stop gap. For us, it’s never been relevant.”
Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director George Russell admitted he was “not sad to see it go.” The Mercedes driver pointed out the point was too frequently scored by a driver who wasn’t quick enough to deserve it on merit alone.
“I always felt the fastest lap [point] was a bit of a strange rule because often if a driver was…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…