THE NEW Formula 1 season, the 65th in the world championship, will see a massive shake-up of rules this year. However, some teams oppose a request by the sports impresario Bernie Ecclestone to award the last three races of the season double points. However, double points for the last race get the go ahead for the 2014 season. The season starts on March 16 in Australia.

The majority of teams oppose the idea of double points for the last three races, suggested in a recent meeting in Abu Dhabi. Discussions are ongoing with Ecclestone and it is not clear yet whether the change will take place any time soon. Ecclestone wants the rule implemented in order to revive TV audience interest in the sport which has dropped by 10 percent last season. When Vettel won the title in the Indian Grand Prix, interest dropped for the rest of the season.

Small teams suspect the change would give bigger teams an advantage as they improve during the season. The change needs unanimous approval by all teams to pass. In theory, only one team needs to object for Ecclestone's three-race plan to scupper the idea.

However, one insider pointed out that Ecclestone's position within F1 is very powerful, and that he has significant influence with the teams. He added: "If Bernie wants it, he'll get it."

Technical changes

On the technical side, cars would have 8-speed semi-automatic gearboxes. Engines should last for 4,000 km before replacement instead of the previous 2,000 km. Teams will use limited fuel, can have electronic brakes for the rear wheels, and must fit the cars with lower noses of no more than 185 mm clearance above the ground. Drivers must be able to return to the pits under their own power and with a liter of fuel to spare for testing.

This season, the 2.4 V8 engines will be binned and replaced by 1.6 turbocharged V6 engines that incorporate an energy recovery system. There will be other modifications to the cars’ design especially the narrower front-nose.

The 2014 calendar will feature substantial revisions from the 2013 season. The Russian Grand Prix will be held for the first time in a century at the Sochi International Street Circuit in Sochi, and the Austrian Grand Prix will be revived, with the race to be held at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The Indian Grand Prix will be discontinued for one year ahead of a move to an early-season date in 2015, while the Korean Grand Prix has been removed from the schedule entirely.

Sebastian Vettel will start the season as the defending Drivers' Champion after securing his fourth consecutive title at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix. His team, Red Bull Racing, will start the season as the defending Constructors' Champions, having also won their fourth consecutive championship in India.

One prominent change this season is the Bahrain Grand Prix, which will be held as a night event under lights, similar to the Singapore Grand Prix. The decision to hold the race under lights was taken as a means of marking the tenth anniversary of the event. Also, the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi this year will be the first in Russia in a century.

Sporting regulations

Other sporting regulations will adopt a penalty points system where a driver accumulating 12 points will be banned for one race and have five penalty points added upon his return as probation. Drivers would be allowed only five engines throughout the season, down from eight in 2013.

The pit lane speed will be reduced from 100km to 80 km. Drivers will be assigned numbers for the duration of their careers. The No. 1 will be the champion’s right with other drivers free to choose numbers from 2 to 99.

Among those who are not happy about the double points’ rule are Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari President and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. They both said they would accept the rule for this season on a trial basis.