Jari-Matti Latvala is not enthusiastic about the new points calculation system.
Jari-Matti Latvala sees a few problems with the new scoring system. Juuso Taipale
Toyota team manager Jari-Matti Latvala told Dirtfish in an interview, his opinion on the new scoring system of the World Rally Championship.
– We are a bit concerned that the points system is now a bit too complicated for fans to understand its structure. It feels like two competitions, Latvala reflected.
In the future, based on the combined results of Friday and Saturday’s special tests, 18 points will be awarded to the best. The scoring for the first two days will be 18–15–13–10–8–6–4–3–2–1.
In addition, WC points will be awarded separately from Sunday’s combined results. The fastest on Sunday gets 7 points, and the other places always bring one point less. So the total score is 7–6–5–4–3–2–1.
The driver who is number one on Saturday still has to finish on Sunday if he wants his points from the first two days.
A change was needed in the points calculation system, because often the races were already decided before Sunday, which turned into just a day of driving around before the Power Stage.
– We did not support this change. Of course, we understand Sunday’s concern, but from the team’s point of view, we thought of something smaller. For example, giving one point for winning each ek, Latvala thought.
According to Suomalainen, the problem is also that if the driver stops on Friday, but returns to the race on Saturday, the driver can save his tires for the whole Saturday and then attack again on Sunday, when there are still 12 MM points available.
Thus, despite the early suspension, the rider could get more than twice as many points from the race as from the current Power, whose winner now gets five boys.