LONDON — Formula One's ruling body backed down today and agreed to put off a new points system for the sport until next season, responding to objections from teams and top drivers.

The Formula One Teams' Association said FIA's decision earlier this week that the championship would go to the driver with the most race wins instead of highest point total was invalid. F1's governing body then reversed course.

"If, for any reason, the Formula One teams do not now agree with the new system, its implementation will be deferred until 2010," FIA said in a statement just hours after the teams announced their objection.

The U-turn came just over a week before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 29, heading off the possibility of a boycott.

FIA said it decided to go to race wins scoring system on Tuesday, under the impression that teams wanted the switch from the established system of giving the title to the driver with the most points.

Such was the strength of criticism from the teams and drivers, including Fernando Alonso and world champion Lewis Hamilton, FIA may not be able to implement the change next year either.

FOTA came out strongly against the move. "It is too late for FIA to impose a change for the 2009 season that has not obtained the unanimous agreement of all the competitors properly entered into the 2009 Formula One Championship," the teams' association said in a statement.

The teams said a scoring proposal they have floated — to award more points for victories — would make the sport more attractive. They now want to reopen talks with the ruling body over a compromise for next season.

The teams have proposed awarding 12 points rather than 10 for a race win, giving drivers more incentive to chase individual victories.

"FOTA had made a proposal that was carefully based on the results of a global audience survey, which allowed listening to preferences of the public," FOTA said.

"The teams wish to reaffirm their willingness to collaborate with the FIA in order to jointly define a new point system for the 2010 season within a comprehensive set of measures aimed at further stimulating the attractiveness of the F1 sport."

Hamilton would have finished second behind Ferrari's Felipe Massa had the race victories system applied last year. Massa won six races to Hamilton's five.

Instead, Hamilton won the title in a thrilling finish — with a move on the final bend of the final lap of the final race. He captured the championship by a single point.

"It's a shame what's happening to F1," Hamilton said in a statement provided by his McLaren team Friday before FIA backed down. "It's hard to believe these recent decisions will improve things for the track-side spectators and TV viewers, who should always be our priority.

"Whatever the points system, I know that all F1 drivers will always race our hearts out."

Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher had already expressed his astonishment that the change was announced less than two weeks before the start of the world championship.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone had pressed for the change, which reflected an earlier idea of his to award gold medals for race wins and give the title to the driver with the most medals. He said it would encourage more passing and "real racing."