Imagine securing your first victory in a prestigious series,
in front of a busy F1 crowd and with many people also viewing on the
television. You jump out of the car absolutely elated and then realise that
with less than 50% of the race distance completed you won’t be awarded any
points for your efforts.
This was indeed the gutting reality for Luxembourg’s Dylan
Pereira on Sunday, when he won round five of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at
Hockenheim. Due to heavy rain and a massive accident in the middle of the
field, the race was cancelled just seven laps in.
Pereira, therefore left Germany as the winner but no better
off in the championship. This was because the regulations state that if less
than 75% of the race is completed, half points are to be awarded and if less
than 50% of the intended distance is completed then no points will be awarded
whatsoever.
The main problem is that this seems such an anti-climax. The
teams had shipped everything across to the circuit, they’d collected data from
practice and set their cars up to extract the optimum performance from them.
The drivers had given everything in qualifying to produce the fastest lap possible
and then most of them had negotiated a tricky start to the race. Surely this
should be recognised in some way.
Now I’m not claiming that Pereira should have been given
full points as frankly that would be ridiculous. Leading after 7 laps isn’t the
same as coming out on top after 25 or 30 laps. However, what about quarter
points?
I’m aware that at first, this does sound ludicrous. This
would have meant Pereira received 5 points for his victory, ten Voorde 4.5
points for finishing second and Ellinas 4 points for coming third. This does
get a bit messier further down the order as 15th placed Gianmarco
Quaresmini would have received just one quarter of a point. However, drivers have
ended seasons without an integer as their final points score so it wouldn’t be
unprecedented.
The main reason I’m so keen
for some points to have been awarded is that without them the whole
weekend
seems a waste of time. Surely a small recognition in the way of quarter points
would have softened the blow and made the weekend count for something. Instead
poor Pereira has the victory but nothing to show for it in terms of his
championship points tally.
Equally, the history books
will show a full classification of finishers but zero points next to each
driver’s name. This just doesn’t sit comfortably with me and makes the race
meeting a complete anomaly. Was it round five of the ten round championship
with no points awarded, or a race that was cancelled in what is now a nine
round championship?
Whatever your view on my
quarter point suggestion, I’m sure you’ll agree that something needs to be done
to prevent the recurrence of a race being won but the winner leaving the event
pointless, along with the rest of the field.
Round six of the Porsche
Mobil 1 Supercup takes place this coming weekend at the Hungaroring in
Budapest.
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| Dylan Pereira (pictured) must have been delighted to win his first Supercup race but gutted not to receive any points. |
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