Thoughts on the one-shot qualifying...

[vat_man]

Well, after the first F1 one-shot qualifying, I have to say I like it - it puts very different pressures on the drivers, and a couple of drivers were found out (like ol' Ralfie boy, Kimi and so on). Definitely a worthwhile addition...

 

[-Fred-]

Top 3 hasn't changed, but i'm surprised by Frentzen, Panis and Villeneuve... Nice strategy by Minardi, they'll have a head start should rain come by. But i'm sure the FIA will put a clause in the rules to avoid such behavior in the future.

If the BARs can last longer than 10 laps, i think they've got a legitimate shot at the podium, or at least a top 5. I think they're the biggest improvement so far.

 

[KC]

I like it too. It shakes up the status quo. I know a lot of people liked the old qualifying but it needed to be merely 15 minutes long instead of an hour.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

I think that something needs to be done about the fuel situation. Currently there's no 'result' in qualifying, at least until the first round of pit stops, and that takes away from the sport, in my opinion.

Having seen the new format live, I would now say that the more exciting day is Friday, because the cars are all truly going flat out, but the drivers have that little frisson of uncertainty about the track itself.

I can see the 'no-refuelling' getting dropped.

 

[Matrixhasu77]

I agree with you Giles. It just seems pointless to me to have one shot qualifying if you have to carry a boatload of fuel for the race when you qualify. It makes it more difficult for a car to get a better overall time because of the extra weight the car has to carry versus a time without all that weight. If they didn't have to carry fuel for the race I would like it more but for the time being I see it as pointless to even have second day qualifying.

 

[SandStorm]

Basically, the only thing that "disinterests" me about the new qualifying format is the fuel-rule. Apart from that, it's pretty good - just like the V8 Supercars in Oz. 👍

 

[BeemanH]

I heard over the weekend that Bernie was unhappy with the new qualifying rules. Apparently he feels that it detracts from the spectacle of F1 and wants things to go back to the way they were. If Bernie has these feelings i think that we could definately see some changes coming in the next couple of weeks.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Bernie described the changes as "horrible", and will doubtless be putting pressure on the teams to vote for a change at the meeting that follows the Brazilian GP.

It's difficult to see why anyone would vote against the new rules, although it will need more addenda to the programs, because presumably they'll have to put the Sunday Morning Warm Up in again. Actually, that's a good idea, because I thought Sunday morning at Albert Park was a somewhat bereft affair.

 

[vat_man]

Well, they could split Saturday up into two sessions - move the Friday 'flat-out' qualifying session to Saturday, say 11-12, and then the current 'one-shot' qualifying from 1-2.

I really like the idea of the cars qualifying in the trim they start the race in - as we saw in Malaysia, if you're really clever you can put yourself up further than you would otherwise be - certainly makes the first half of the race interesting.

 

[vat_man]

Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Actually, that's a good idea, because I thought Sunday morning at Albert Park was a somewhat bereft affair.

It did bucket down, Giles, so I imagine that wouldn't have helped!

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Originally posted by vat_man
It did bucket down, Giles, so I imagine that wouldn't have helped!

That's true.

 

[advanR]

I like the one shot rule, but the refueling rule is ****.