Former team boss Eddie Jordan has poured cold water on Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone's plans to have the drivers' world championship decided by gold medals rather than points.

"I think they are a nonsense," Jordan told BBC radio yesterday.

"I can't possibly believe he's thinking straight, especially on this one. His focus must be on cost-cutting and nothing else. The rest is just dressing it up."

Ecclestone has said he wants the title won by the driver who wins most races to make the sport more exciting and prevent a repeat of this year's situation where McLaren's Lewis Hamilton needed only to finish fifth in Brazil to be champion.

Hamilton did what was necessary... but only just. At Interlagos, he beat Ferrari's Felipe Massa by a single point although the Brazilian won six races to the Briton's five victories. Under Ecclestone's Olympic-style plan, the top three in each race would get gold, silver and bronze medals.

Points would count only towards the constructors' standings and to decide overall rankings.

Jordan said that points were of vital importance to teams and drivers further down the pecking order and trying to get noticed.

"One point is as important to those teams as a win is to McLaren and Ferrari," he said.

"He (Ecclestone) is tinkering with something on which he has lost the understanding. He thinks only wins matter.

"There has not been enough thought put into this and for him to say that it comes with the full approval of all the teams... I'm sorry, I just don't believe it."