ESPN Formula One

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

Governing body FIA decided Tuesday that the current points system will remain in effect only to determine the driver's title in the case of a tie, with points also determining the order of finish behind the overall champion.

Under the new scoring system, Ferrari's Felipe Massa would have won the 2008 championship ahead of Lewis Hamilton of McLaren. The Brazilian driver won six grand prix races to Hamilton's five, but the British racer took the title by one point, 98-97, after finishing fifth in the season-ending Brazilian GP.

Overall, the title winner would have been different on 13 occasions if the new proposal had been in place since the first championship in 1950.

The Formula One Teams Association expressed concern that the decisions were made "in a unilateral manner."

"The framework of the regulations ... runs the risk of turning on its head the very essence of Formula 1 and the principles that make it one of the most popular and appealing sports," FOTA said in a statement.

The 10 F1 teams wanted to change the points to a 12-9-7 scoring system for first through third place, from its current 10-9-8 allocation. FIA rejected that proposal.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone initially suggested a medals system, with gold for the winner, silver for second and bronze for third.

The new formula does not affect the constructors' championship.

FIA's World Motor Sports Council, at its meeting in Paris, also approved further cost-cutting measures, including a voluntary budget cap on teams.

"No one can say the situation will not deteriorate further in the coming months. If we wait and things get worse, it will be too late," FIA president Max Mosley said.

A proposed cap of $42 million would cover expenditures of "any kind" and give such cars greater technical freedom. That would entail "a more aerodynamically efficient upper body, movable wings and an engine which is not subject to a rev limit or a development freeze."

Everything from drivers' and team principals' salaries to luxury jets would be included in the cap.

"From the grandstand or on television [the cars] won't look or sound any less 'Formula One' than the current, ultra-expensive cars," Mosley said. "These rules will encourage clever engineering -- success will come to the teams with the best ideas, not only the teams with the most money."

Mosley said such a team could compete with giants such as Ferrari and McLaren -- which are unlikely to take up the initiative -- because top engineers are always available.

FOTA, which represents the 10 F1 teams, said it would study the new rules.

F1 teams also will be limited to eight one-day aerodynamic tests during the course of the season instead of a total ban on in-season testing, and allowed three one-day "young driver" tests featuring pilots who have not raced more than two GPs in the preceding 24 months.

The council, meeting before the start of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 29, also rubber-stamped Brawn GP's purchase of Honda.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press