One thing that has annoyed me in recent years has been the lack of an adequate prize giving ceremony for the driver and team championship. The FIA prize giving gala, weeks after the championship has ended is just lacking in timing, spectacle, and any meaningful television coverage.

Would it be so hard that after the podium of the final race they have some kind of ceremony for the driver and team championship? Maybe they could erect some kind of plinth on the grid like they use in football to hand out the top prizes? That way it would be covered live on television with all the electifying atmosphere that comes with a season finale. Would that not be a much more satisfying end to the season than the rather formal stale FIA prize giving ceremony?

What is the general consensus on this..am I the only one who thinks this?

I agree, that seems a pretty good idea. Let the driver lift his trophy at the track.

Do you think there would be enough time after the end of the last race of the season for all of the Stewards' Enquiries, penalties and appeals to be carried out to ensure the "correct" team and driver were given the trophies?

Nothing different from handing out the race win trophy to the wrong driver/team. It has happened a couple of times, and they haven't banned podium ceremonies yet.

It's embarrassing enough for the sport in general and the FIA in particular when it is announced that the chap who crossed the line first and was waving a huge silver goblet around an hour ago didn't really win the race (without mentioning any specific incidents where this has happened).

Now imagine the embarrassment if they announced to the world's press that the guy on his way home with the World Championship trophy in his suitcase has got to give it back!

Oh, by the way, my question was asked in less than total seriousness.

The have a very big ceremony every year, where the constructors and drivers champions from all of FIA sanctioned championships are given a price, and all but Loeb shave and dress up nicely.

Maybe have a red carpet strip leading to the first position on the grid?

Yes the FIA gala, the problem with that is it happens weeks after the end of F1 season and it gets next to no TV coverage. I dont know about other countires but here in the UK at the season finale, the race ends we see the podium we have a bit of post race debate then the show ends...and thats it finished until the season review which isnt on until new year. It is a very unsatisfactory end to the season and can feel very anti-climactic. This is why it would be, in my opinon far better for the show if the champion got his prize at the track in front of a live TV audience.

Im not saying it should be something over elaborate, but fireworks and tickertape (and I know they have that at the podium) wouldnt be out of place.

I tend to agree. We watch the whole season to see who will be WDC, and then we don't see the prize being presented.

I know the FIA gala get's some TV coverage, but is it even broadcast live? It certainly isn't well promoted if it is.

I think that we see enough. The podium is the same race after race after race after race, there are some but not a lot of emotion, the drivers have been battered into political correctness, they are unable to say the team name with out including every single sponsor who have been part of the team all season, the press conferences are mirror images of each other, good race, controlled, saved tires, no problems, had a vibration in second set, not able to get traction out of corner xyz, happy for team and great work all weekend, championship still open, looking forward to next one.

When do we really hear anything interesting, what do you want to see, since it is all so coregraphed anyway. I'll live with the few seconds of happy yelling between flag and stopping in the pits.

And then I like the FIA gala for what it is, the international federation celebrating ALL it's champions.