Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, has voiced his stance on the proposed adjustments to F1’s points system for the upcoming 2025 season, shedding light on a potential issue while expressing his openness to the modifications.
Vasseur has indicated that he is receptive to the proposed changes in the F1 points system, leveraging his insights gained from his tenure with Alfa Romeo to shape his perspective.
However, amidst his support for the alterations, he has pinpointed a specific concern that simply extending the points-earning positions would not resolve.
The recent gathering of the F1 Commission convened on Thursday to deliberate on the proposition of expanding the number of points-scoring positions from the current top 10 to a top 12.
This assembly comprised representatives from the FIA, the ten F1 teams, and the commercial rights holder. Despite requiring only the endorsement of half of the grid, the panel encountered difficulty in reaching a consensus.
“I’m not against [the rule change], and coming from Alfa Romeo [now Stake F1], I perfectly understand the frustration that sometimes you are doing a mega weekend, [but] if there is no DNF in front of you, you finish P11,” Vasseur elucidated to the media, underscoring his nuanced perspective on the matter.
“And the reward is zero, but you can finish P11 or P20 – it’s the same. I can understand the frustration for this.”
While advocating for the adjustment of the points system, the 55-year-old emphasized that the solution might not ultimately achieve its intended goal.
The call to revise the points allocation has arisen partly due to F1’s division into two groups of five teams based on performance this year.
The top-tier teams comprising Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston Martin have accumulated the lion’s share of points, leaving the remaining teams reliant on factors such as reliability issues or errors from their faster counterparts.
This issue may potentially diminish with the introduction of new chassis and engine regulations slated for 2026.
“Now, if you do this [the proposed points change] and next year you have six teams in front, then you will say it’s the same for P13, but we have to pay attention,” Vasseur remarked, reaffirming his position: “I’m not against [the rule change].”
The reason behind the lack of decision-making on Thursday remains undisclosed. However, given that the proposal is unlikely to impact the leading teams significantly, there have been suggestions that they favor the rule alteration, along with teams struggling at the bottom of the F1 hierarchy.
