Hamilton against medal system

Lewis Hamilton has spoken out against Bernie Ecclestone's medal proposal that would see the driver with the most wins take the championship.

Ecclestone first suggested the idea after Hamilton won 2008's championship by a single point and with one win less than his nearest competitor, Felipe Massa.

However, the FIA has put the meda system on ice and is now waiting on results of market research before implementing any change in the scoring system.

At McLaren's MP4-24 launch, Hamilton was asked if he supported the idea to which the Briton replied: "Not really, no."

Instead Hamilton believes the current 10-1 points system should remain in place as the most consistent driver and team combination should be rewarded. 

"We work hard as a team to win and be consistent, and being consistent, whether you finish first or third, it has to be the team and the driver who has done the best job over the year," he added.

"It is not just who has won the most races."

The comments come just one day after Ecclestone offered a defence of his new scoring system at the Ferrari media event 'Wrooom' in the Italian Dolomites.

Ecclestone told reporters to stop focusing on the medals themselves, emphasising his belief that a championship decided on race wins would incentivise overtaking.

"Forget the word medals, I just think the guy that wins the most races should win the championship," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

"I don't think a guy that is second who's got a lot of points should be world champion, that's all.

"This year a lot of them sat there being second.

"It's up to the teams to really push that through.

"I hope they have enough sense to agree."

Massa would have won last year's championship under Ecclestone's proposed system and the F1 supremo said he is hoping the Brazilian takes this year's championship.

"I hoped that Felipe would do something last year so let's hope he does it this year," Ecclestone said.

"Lewis had back luck the year before and won the championship, Felipe had bad luck last year so I hope this year he recovers."

SOURCE: ITV-F1