Formula One are adding a new rule to the mix this year with the addition of one point being awarded for fastest lap. This point will be classified as a Championship point.
This is a regulation that has previously been in the sport. At the dawn of Formula One when lap times used to be measured with simplicity, usually a man and his stopwatch, to one decimal place. Therefore, it wasn't uncommon for the point to be shared between drivers, at the Silverstone Grand Prix in 1954 the point had to be shared between seven different drivers after they all completed the same lap time!
However, this time there has been more support put in place to ensure the drivers can qualify for the point. In order to actually gain the fastest lap and the championship point, the drivers have to finish in the top ten positions and therefore there is more of an incentive to achieve those point snatching positions.
Moreover, the point may not even be awarded at all if the driver with the fastest lap is in 11th position or lower. As such, even though the point won't be received by the driver outside the top ten, he has prevented a rival from receiving an extra point.
After discussions and agreements occurred between many motorsports boards, this new rule will be put in place for the season opener in Melbourne this weekend and will continue throughout the season.
This will ultimately place an extra 21 potential points up for grabs throughout the season. Points that could perhaps help dictate the championship...
If this regulation had been applied last season, the championship would have changed as Valtteri Bottas secured the most fastest laps with a total of 7. Applying this years rules, Bottas would have an extra 7 points and would have then finished third rather than fifth in the championship overall!
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