Formula 1 will award double points for its final round from the 2014 season in an effort to keep championship battles open longer.

The move was agreed by the F1 Strategy Group and the Formula One Commission at a meeting in Paris on Monday.

It will automatically become part of the regulations as the FIA World Motor Sport Council agreed last week to give the Strategy Group and Commission a mandate to agree rule changes on this occasion.

An FIA statement said that the change had been agreed "in order to maximise focus on the championship until the end of the campaign".

It applies to both the drivers' and constructors' championships, and means that the winner of the final grand prix next year will get 50 points, with 36 for second place and so on through the top 10.

Had that system been in place in recent years, it would have changed the outcome of both the 2012 and '08 title fights.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton won those crowns respectively by claiming sufficient minor points to stay ahead of rivals Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

But under the new system, Alonso's second place at Interlagos last year would have given him enough points to leapfrog Vettel, while Massa's 2008 Brazilian GP victory would have denied Hamilton the championship on that occasion.

F1's reigning champions Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull have broken ranks and slammed the new 'double points' finale.

Germany's Sport Bild reports that Red Bull voted against the highly controversial change agreed in the strategy group and F1 Commission meeting on Monday, which is being introduced after Vettel utterly dominated the 2013 season.

Next year, while the winner of classics like Monaco and Monza will collect just 25 points, victory in the Abu Dhabi finale will attract 50 points, with the FIA explaining that the move is to "maximise focus on the championship until the end of the campaign".

German Vettel slammed the new rule.

"Imagine there is suddenly double points in the last Bundesliga match," he told Sport Bild.

"This is nonsense, and punishes those who have worked hard for the rest of the season.

"I like the old traditions of formula one and don't understand this new rule," added Vettel.

Sport Bild reports that, while also against the wishes of Abu Dhabi's rival race promoters, the rule was pushed through by Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt, and teams including Ferrari and Mercedes.

"We were against it," confirmed Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, "but our team boss Christian Horner was overruled.

"At first the double points was planned for the last four races, but that would have made the rest of the world championship almost meaningless," he added.

F1 is seeking a twelfth team.

With the Spanish stragglers HRT having pulled out at the end of the 2012 season, the FIA on Thursday launched a "selection process" to find a new team "to participate at a competitive level" in time for 2015 or 2016.

In a media statement, the FIA said expressions of interest will close on 3 January. An accompanying document said the full application fee will be $130,000.

"The overall long-term interests of the championship will determine which candidates are selected," it added.

The FIA said it will consider the applicants' "technical ability and resources", and the ability "to raise and maintain sufficient funding".

"A decision (will be made) on 28 February 2014," the FIA added in its document entitled 'call for expressions of interest'.

"In the event that no applicant is considered suitable by both the FIA and the commercial rights holder, no additional team will be selected," the letter read.

Luca di Montezemolo, one of the most powerful figures in formula one, thinks the highly-controversial new 'double points' rule might live a short life.

Reaction to the plan for double points in Abu Dhabi next year, to keep the championship alive throughout the season, has been generally negative.

And Montezemolo, the Ferrari president with an unique veto over key F1 decisions, warned: "I'm not a fan of the double points.

"It's too artificial," he is quoted by Germany's Sport Bild. "I would not be surprised if the rule is soon abolished."

In a wide-ranging and fascinating interview, Montezemolo also tipped Fernando Alonso to live out his full Ferrari contract, despite McLaren's obvious interest.

McLaren supremo Ron Dennis this week insisted "never say never" when contemplating bringing the Spaniard back to Woking.

But Montezemolo said: "I will not argue with my friend Ron, although it would be good for the press -- Fernando has a contract until 2016.

"My only concern is giving him a better car."

However, he did have to "tweak" the ear of the obviously frustrated Alonso this year. Montezemolo urged the 32-year-old to take a leaf out of Michael Schumacher's book.

"It is important that you not only win together, but also lose together," he said.

"Michael knew how to do that between 1996 and 1999. Fernando knows that he drives not for himself, but for Ferrari, even if I can understand his frustration at times."

Some believe it was Alonso's attitude in 2013 that triggered the decision - against the Spaniard's wishes - to sign world champion Kimi Raikkonen to be his new teammate.

But, fascinatingly, Montezemolo suggested the Finn is in fact the number 2.

"He knows that he is in the second half of his career," he said, referring to Raikkonen.

"But he is especially strong in the race, and is able to take points from Fernando's opponents."

For the moment, then, Montezemolo ruled out making a move to sign F1's driver of the moment.

"Sebastian Vettel is very fast, focused, wants to win," he said. "I like his attitude: no manager, no politics.

"But although I have a lot of problems, a number 1 driver is not among them. In two years time we can talk about it again," the Italian added.

Finally, Montezemolo revealed that he has been approached by an American group, keen to acquire a Ferrari 'customer car' and race in formula one.

At present, the rules would not allow it.

"It's true," Montezemolo said. "We were contacted, and if the rules allowed it, we would like to sell them a car.

"It is extremely difficult for a new team to build a competitive car out of nowhere, so I would like to help."