The recent days have seen loads of people writing abusive things about the FIA coming up with a plan to award double points for the final race of the year. Without getting into whether or not it is a good idea, it needs to be pointed out that the FIA Strategy Group is NOT the FIA. This new body has three groups involved. The FIA has six votes, Formula One Management has six votes and six of the teams each have one vote. The other teams have no say but are allowed to vote in the F1 Commission which can accept or rejected the ideas put forward by the Strategy Group. The FIA World Council has similar powers to accept or reject but cannot alter proposals. Thus, blaming the FIA is not really fair because there is no reason to suggest that the idea came from the FIA. The fact that it passed through the Strategy Group means that a majority of the voters must have been in favour. That could mean the FIA plus four teams; the FIA and FOM together, or FOM and four teams. And one should perhaps add that Ferrari must have been ambivalent towards the matter because it did not impose its veto.

It is easy to blame the federation for everything, but one must point out that it is not always their fault…