Formula One is Making Changes - How About Us?

The Formula One auto racing series is making some changes for their upcoming season. I think horse racing can learn a lesson from some of them:

Formula One's next championship will be decided by the number of race wins and not accumulated points.

Sure, many of us have been advocating for a point system that F1 is moving away from, but the "point" is that they are trying to fix something that is not working. Their method of determining a champion is flawed much like our subjective Eclipse balloting is. They are changing it. We are not.

Car weights will be published following Saturday's qualifying session and would rename tire grades for better clarity to spectators.

I'm not exactly sure what this means, but it seems that they are making an effort to get more information to the fans. I'd bet that they don't charge for this information.

Drivers must also be available for further autograph sessions and better media availability.

Two good ideas - market the riders and increase media access. Kinda like "Jockeys" but without Denman's shoehorned calls dubbed over the action.

There are several other rule changes in the article for which there are no horse racing corolaries. Formula One has proven that it is possible to change old concepts that are not working. However, it required the actions of a governing body that has real authority. We all know that horse racing has no such entity.

Despite the fans clamoring for it, it's unlikely that we will see real change anytime soon.