Felipe Massa has applauded the scrapping of the controversial 'winner-take-all' system that was due to be imposed this year.
At a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council last Tuesday, it was decided from this season the winner of the world title would be the driver with most race wins, following a proposal initially aired by Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone a few months earlier.
But just 72 hours later, world governing body, the FIA, were forced to embarrassingly abandon plans for the new system after the Formula One Teams' Association voiced their protest.
FOTA claimed FIA had not adhered to their own regulations as the 'race-win' idea had to first receive unanimous approval from all the teams, particularly given the close proximity of the new season.
FIA confirmed yesterday the current points system will remain in force for this year prior to reverting to the new format for 2010.
Massa, who would have captured last season's title from Lewis Hamilton on the number of races won, believes that it is not the way to resolve a year-long championship battle.
‘I'd say the rule to assign the title to the driver who wins the most races is not correct,’ said Massa.
‘A driver might win more races, but might be very inconsistent in his performance, not gaining many points. In this case I think he wouldn't deserve the title.’
FOTA proposed a 12-9-7 points split for the top three but that idea was unanimously rejected by the WMSC.
However, Massa believes that is the right way to go, adding: ‘I think the best idea was the one presented by the teams, where the GP winner would have taken a lot more points than the second.
‘If FIA didn't like this idea, it's better to remain with last year's system.
‘But if the difference in points between first and second place was greater there would be a greater stimulus to fight for the win, but you would still have to be consistent throughout the season.
‘We've 17 races in the championship. It is not a 100 metre sprint in the Olympics where everything happens in under ten seconds.’
Assessing what might have been if the 'race-wins' system had been employed then, Massa was fervently dismissive.
‘I'm really not interested in the fact that with such a system I would have won the title last year,’ said Massa.
‘I'm interested in what's right for our sport.’
