BhpFullThrottle

""I think it's a mistake that wasn't
included after the issues in Spa
last year, that the regulations
obviously haven't been mopped
up. We were under the strong
impression that only with 75% of
the race, full points will be scored.
So we felt we were going to be
one point short. "But in the end,
Checo's move on Charles nailed
Max the championship. So you
can see his surprise, the team's
surprise. But what a wonderful
surprise."
Ferrari team principal Mattia
Binotto, who saw Leclerc's final
title chances evaporate with the
points interpretation, admitted his
squad had not known how things
would be handled.
"We were confused, and we
thought it would not have been
the full awards," he said. "So
initially, our calculations were
such that he was not world
champion.
"At the end, a clarification has
been given which is an okay
clarification. So I think it's simply
accepted. That's the way it is. He
is world champion. It's clear
enough."McLaren team boss
Andreas Seid l backed up the
view that the changes made to
the rules last winter were never
intended to award full points for
races that got nowhere near full
distance. "In the end, how the
points were awarded today wasn't
what we all had in mind," he said.
"That wasn't the intention from the
FIA and the team side. "But in the
end, it seems like we all overlooked
this loophole, and therefore we are
all responsible for that. It means
we must try to do together a better
job next time." Horner had little
doubt that the teams would now
speak to the FIA to get the rule
revised for the future. "I'm certain it
will be," he said. Binotto said that it
was something he would get
Ferrari to look at and better
understand. "I need to double
check with our sporting guys: what
was the clear understanding, and
what has been the conclusion and
the way that it has been written
and interpreted compared to the
intention," he said. "It's a detail, and
it's something we need to clarify as
well for the future what is the true
intention, what should you do and
it's clear enough. But I'm not too
concerned, I'm not too
disappointed by it.
"I accept the way the FIA has
interpreted it, and let's review, let's
discuss, but I will not go to any
conclusion today on that."
(motorsport.com)