Ecclestone made to wait by teams

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone will have to wait at least another 12 months for the “real racing” he craves.

Plans to award the world title on the basis of wins alone were shelved yesterday after the Formula One Teams’ Association successfully claimed they were invalid.

Ecclestone was a happy man earlier this week when the World Motor Sport Council agreed to implement a change to the current points system he proposed months ago.

Even before Lewis Hamilton won last year’s title by a single point from Felipe Massa, despite winning only five races compared to the Brazilian’s six, Ecclestone was seeking to end 59 years of history.

The 78-year-old proposed an Olympic-style medals affair, with the drivers awarded gold, silver and bronze for first, second and third, with the champion naturally the one with the most golds.

So, when the WMSC, the decision-making body of the FIA, agreed to a variation of his plan – just without the medals – he believed it to be the right move.