Why The Final Round of the Porsche Supercup Should Go On As Planned

Last week, driver Sean Edwards was killed at Queensland Raceway after an accident during a training session. Edwards was 26 years old.

Edwards was an up-and-coming talent in sports car racing and had shown his potential having been apart of the last two consecutive 24 Hours of Dubai winning teams, being apart of this years Nürburgring 24 Hours winning team and was leading the Porsche Supercup Championship standings by eighteen points with two races to go at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi next month. He was just at the beginning of what was going to be a very successful and decorated career in sports car racing and he will truly be missed.

A petition has been started to make the final round of the Porsche Supercup Season a non-points event and posthumously giving Edwards the 2013 Porsche Supercup Championship.

I understand the petition but I have to respectful disagree with the petition. While Edwards may have won the title, how is it fair to the two drivers still mathematically eligible to win the title to make this round a non-points events? How would be fair to Nicki Thiim and Michael Ammermüller to end their championship hopes by turning a scheduled competitive round of the championship into a exhibition?

Just because it appeared Edwards was bound to become champion, doesn't mean we should take away the chance of other to win the title. In 1968, Jim Clark won the first round of the Formula One season at Kyalami, his third consecutive race win dating back to the previous season. However, Clark would lose his life in a Formula Two accident at Hockenheim before any other round of the 1968 Formula One season was competed. You could say Clark was bound to become champion yet again in 1968 but they didn't make the remaining eleven rounds non-points events. They ran the championship as it was scheduled.

Two years later, Jochen Rindt was leading the World Drivers' Championship with four rounds to go when he lost his life during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The final four rounds were run as scheduled points-paying, championship events and Rindt still held on to posthumously win the title over Jacky Ickx. It is still possible that Edwards could still be posthumously crowned champion even if the Abu Dhabi round is counted toward the championship.

Regardless of how many rounds are remaining in a championship, they should not become non-points events to posthumously hand any driver a championship.

It is truly sad that Edwards will not get a chance to defend his points lead at Abu Dhabi but it would not be fair to deny anyone else a chance to win a championship because the points leader will not be competing in the final event.

Things should go on as scheduled and a championship should not be given to driver who is unable to participate regardless of the circumstances as to which why the driver is not able to compete.

I disagree with the petition but understand where it is coming from. I mourn the loss of Sean Edwards but do not want him to be handed the title and take away the opportunity from Thiim or Ammermüller.