Winner takes all has been revived by FIA in WMSC council

The controversial 'winner takes all' scoring system has been rubber stamped for introduction in 2010 by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

The governing body tried to introduce Bernie Ecclestone's favoured system this year, but the late change was vetoed by the Formula One Teams' Association.

We reported in March that the FIA would consult the teams before trying to introduce the system for 2010, but the new sporting regulations for next year already feature the controversial rule.

Article 6 states that the drivers' title 'will be awarded to the driver who has been classified first in the greatest number of races'.

The news has until now slipped the attention of the media because - unlike all other changes to the rules - the amended rule was not highlighted in pink and underlined in copies of the 2010 sporting regulations.

The FIA also confirmed that, accompanying the ban on race refuelling next year, drivers in 'Q3' can refuel under parc ferme conditions prior to the race.

This change ensures the spectacle of low-fuel dashes for pole position, not affected by varying race strategies.

Brawn Mercedes - Spanish GP Preview - Near perfect but still cautious

With a score of 31 points from a possible maximum of 35, the opening four races of the 2009 season has been near perfect for Jenson Button. Brawn Mercedes team-mate Rubens Barrichello is second in the standings 12 points adrift while the Brackley-based team top the constructors’ championship by 22.5 points heading to Barcelona.

"The team had to make a tremendous effort simply to have two cars on the grid for the first race in Melbourne and the success that we have achieved has been a well-deserved reward for all our staff for their hard work which has been supported by the commitment of our engine partner Mercedes-Benz,” stated Team Principal Ross Brawn. “The short break which we have enjoyed since returning from Bahrain has enabled the whole team to regroup at our factory in Brackley and spend a little time reflecting upon our first four races.”

While it has undoubtedly been a dream start for the Brawn Mercedes team, Brawn knows that the development race is on and that the traditional front-runners will be working flat out to eliminate the advantage currently enjoyed with the BGP 001 package.

"Jenson, Rubens and the team delivered a first class job to win the Bahrain Grand Prix which is the level of performance that we must sustain if we are to seriously challenge for the championships this year,” Brawn continued. “The field has compressed considerably since the season-opening race in Australia and the performance margins at the front are now very tight indeed.

“Whilst we have been away racing over the past few weeks, the factory has been working extremely hard on our upgrade package for the BGP 001 and we look forward to seeing the results of our development work on track in Barcelona this weekend."

Button has secured three wins from the first four races and one third position and travelled to the Brackley base last week for a ‘small celebration’ to mark the impressive season start but like team boss Brawn, knows that the championship still has a long way to go.

“I visited the factory last week to join the team for a small celebration of our successes to date and catch up on the progress with our latest developments,” the championship leader said. “We know that we have a real fight on our hands from here to maintain our lead in the championships but I am confident that we are well prepared for the challenges ahead.

“I know the track inside out and it feels very familiar to be heading back there for the start of the European season this weekend,” Button continued. “ You need to have a car with good downforce for a really quick lap there and we are fortunate that our car behaves so predictably which enables you to feel completely confident when committing to high speed corners.”

While Button has been making many of the headlines, veteran team-mate Rubens Barrichello has quietly been racking up the points as well. With 19 points from four starts, the Brazilian is very much still in the championship hunt.

"The Circuit de Catalunya feels like a home circuit for the drivers with so much of our pre-season testing taking place here over the winter,” Barrichello explained. “The Spanish Grand Prix is always one of my favourite races on the calendar as it feels like this is where the season really begins..."

Toyota - Spanish GP Preview - "We want more"

Toyota heads to the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona this weekend for the start of the European season. Following the flyaway races which started the season, Toyota is third in the Constructors' Championship having claimed an impressive three podium finishes in four Grand Prix.

Jarno Trulli recorded pole position, fastest lap and third place in the Bahrain Grand Prix while Timo Glock maintained his 100 percent points-scoring record in 2009 with seventh place. That put both Toyota drivers into the top five of the Drivers' Championship.

Toyota has 26.5 points to its credit so far and trail Red Bull Renault by just one point heading to Spain. While the team are satisfied with its progress this year, Team President John Howett is not resting on his laurels.

"We have made a successful start to our season but there is no doubt we want more; we feel we are close to our first victory and this is our clear target for the remainder of the year,” Howett stated. “We narrowly missed out on winning in Bahrain but by starting from pole position and setting the fastest lap, we showed we are right on the pace and we are working hard to bring it about soon.

“Thanks to the fantastic job done by the team over the winter, our car has been one of the very fastest so far this season and we have some aerodynamic upgrades in Spain which will bring more performance,” he continued. “We have an aggressive development programme for the whole season so I'm confident we will be in good shape."

Trulli is fourth in the championship with 14.5 points and is looking forward to the start of the ‘European season’.

"The opening races of the season have shown the potential we have in our new car; to get pole position and the fastest race lap in Bahrain was a good achievement which gives us great encouragement,” Trulli said.

The team has enjoyed podium success in Spain before, with Trulli finishing third in 2005. However, this year’s race at the Spanish event will be a little less predictable than in the past thanks to the test restrictions.

"We'll see how it works out in Barcelona but we have to be optimistic after our strong performances so far," the Italian veteran continued. "We tested in Barcelona before the season but I have to admit it's unusual to be preparing for the race having not driven at the track for a couple of months.

"In the past we have generally tested there just before the race so everything was quite predictable, but it could be different this time. I am enjoying this season because we are consistently fighting at the front so I am really looking forward to the Spanish Grand Prix."

Timo Glock, fifth in the championship with 12 points, led early on in Bahrain before slipping down the order to finish seventh. "It was disappointing only to finish seventh after starting from the front row however the potential of the car is clear for everyone to see," Glock explained. "That motivates everyone to keep pushing hard because we can see there is the possibility for some great results.

“We have an upgrade to the car this weekend so hopefully that can bring something extra but we will have to wait and see how the other teams develop as well,” he added.

Barrichello insist to drive for two or three more years

Rubens Barrichello does not accept that 2009 is his last chance to become world champion.

The veteran Brazilian readily acknowledges that his career hung in the balance last winter, as he waited for confirmation of the rescue of the former Honda team and to know if he would be Jenson Button's Brawn team-mate.

But even though after a record 275 Grand Prix he is a tantalising 12 points from the top of the drivers' championship, 36-year-old Barrichello refuses to admit that this year is his final real shot at the title.

"Who knows," he told Auto Motor und Sport, "perhaps I will drive for another two, three years.

"In my life I have always thought positively and I am convinced that this attitude is what put me where I am."

Button has already won three times in the Mercedes-powered BGP 001, but Barrichello said he does not feel psychologically defeated.

"Motor racing is not like tennis," he insisted. "It's not like you're in the third set having lost two (sets) 6:0. I know from the last three years that I can drive as fast as Jenson."

Liuzzi's seeking seat

Tonio Liuzzi has admitted he accepted a two-year role as Force India test driver because of the prospect of a 2010 race seat.

The 27-year-old Italian recently returned to race action in the A1GP series, but admitted to the Speedweek publication that his hopes are high for a Formula One drive next year.

He told an Italian magazine last month that while Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil's contracts are expiring, he already has a Force India agreement through to 2011.

"My best chance is with Force India," he said.

"It is the reason I was happy with the role as the test and spare driver for two years.

"There are certain prospects for a place as the main driver," Liuzzi revealed.

Bernie will defend Ferrari to stay in Formula One

Bernie Ecclestone has vowed to prevent the brawl between Max Mosley and Luca di Montezemolo turning into all-out war.

After Ferrari President Montezemolo - furious about the FIA President's budget capping - hinted that the famous marque could walk away from F1, Mosley replied by insisting the sport could survive without the Prancing Horse.

The Times newspaper claims some Ferrari figures believe Mosley wants to ‘destroy’ Montezemolo, but Ecclestone insists: "I won't let it happen."

The 78-year-old F1 Chief Executive said: "The trouble with Max is he's not capable, like in the past, of wrapping things up nicely with a pink ribbon and things. He wants to put it in an old cardboard box and tie it with string."

Briton Ecclestone believes the row is equally the fault of Montezemolo.

"The trouble with Luca is that you shouldn't let Max ever be in a position where he can start a debate or an argument. He's reasonably clever and you won't win," he added.

Ecclestone seems happy to play the mediator in negotiations about the budget cap, after the World Motor Sport Council last week set a voluntary figure at £40m.

"It would appear that everyone is in favour of the cap, including Ferrari, if we can get them to agree, which we can," Ecclestone told the newspaper.

"However, there is concern over the amount that is referred to in the cap for some of the teams and also the two-tier system. So these are probably not monumental things to sort out," he added.

The Times suggests that one outcome could be an increase in the cap to 60m, with a steady reduction to 40m by 2012.

BMW Sauber may not use new diffuser in spain

It is not certain that a 'double diffuser' solution will be ready to be added to the BMW Sauber package for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

"Whether it will be there or not is not yet definite," team boss Mario Theissen is quoted as saying by Germany's Sport Bild.

The Hinwil-based team has had a difficult start to the 2009 season, with hopes now pinned on a major upgrade for the struggling F1.09 in Barcelona.

The publication claims that designers did devise a double diffuser for the single seater, but that computer simulations raised doubts about its effectiveness.

The drivers, including Robert Kubica who is yet to score a single point, are not optimistic.

"We will make a step forward in Barcelona, but whether it will be big enough is improbable,” he said.

Team-mate Nick Heidfeld added: "We did the first four races without big changes on the car, while the other teams constantly had new parts and went further ahead than us."