The new Qualifying procedure.

[Sodemo]

So can we just reiterate, the times from Friday will have no bearing on the final grid for Sundays race, they will merely decide the running order for Saturday?

So if a driver gets the top time on Friday, do they go first or last on Saturday?

Re: Bridgestone making special tyre for Ferrari qualifying;

Surely the FIA's new rule on bespoke tyres is to try and combat this (ie by allowing tyres to be made to suit individual teams' cars) - rather the other way round (building their car to suit the tyres)

[Tristan]

OK, here's my general point. Let's assume that this system was in place last year. Would it have made a scrap of difference?? Would it have made races more interesting?? Would it have given us a more tense championship?? Would it have made any difference to the Ferrari dominance??

One word, two letters, first letter "N".

[Shoe-maker]

I think they should have a half-hour session on Friday afternoon and a half-hour session on Saturday afternoon with the same rules that they abolished at the start of the 1996 season.

[Sodemo]

It may have done Tristan, true it might not have altered the top 4 much, but it would certainly muddle up the rest of the pack allowing faster cars to start further down than they should.

One thing is for sure it would show up the good qualifiers, I can't decide if it will bring out the best in Montoya (ie a bin it or win it lap) or whether he would be way down the order.

[Speed]

Now, here is my question...

If the faster on Saturday is slower than the faster on Friday, Does "Friday faster" get Pole for Sunday ?

[Wrex]

No. Fridays session is just to decide the qualifying order for Sat.

[stefan]

..and if it rains half way through the session does that mean that all the fastest drivers will start the race at the back?

That's going to be so frustrating for them - to watch Webber etc. trundling round a dry track as the storm clouds roll in.

[Wrex]

Not if your a Webber fan

[Tristan]

But what's the difference?? Meaningless twaddle that ruins TV scheduling. Friday practice will only be availible to Sky viewers. Saturday qually will be reduced by half its length. It's RUBBISH, for the final time.

Yes, I'm ranting, but I'm really that annoyed by the scheme. Dross. The REAL issues that were wrong with F1 have been completely avioded. Qually was FINE last year. Nothing wrong at all. Probably the most action we'd have all weekend.

"Hmmm.... the races are a bit dull. Let's change qually!!". Shut up and stop running my "sport".

[Wrex]

Gather around everyone, I'm ready to announce the Ten-tenths understatment of the year award.

And the winner is........

Originally posted by Tristan
Yes, I'm ranting

Tristan

Congrats mate

[BootsOntheSide]

"Qualifying wasn't fine last year. For 45 minutes it was boring.

The new system has some problems, some dangers that teams can cheat it, but it represents a new idea that could produce much more exciting qualifying and races.

I think, if it'd been in use last year, Schuamcher owuld still have cruised to the title, but maybe not until Hungary or Belgium. The rest of the championship would be shook up. In conjunction with the new team orders ban and points system,t he results could be more interesting.

[Tristan]

The real issues are being glossed over and forgotten.

[Glen]

I'll give it the benefit of the doubt until we actually see it in practice - it just might be good. In fact, I suspect it will be good.

Since Monaco was the one and only race that was won by dint of the lead car holding up the field I don't think the starting order makes nearly as much difference as you woud imagine. At least a mixed-up grid (which will surely happen, with luck playing more of a part) will provide some extra excitement in the first twenty-odd laps.

[Sodemo]

Of course the real issues have been glossed over and forgotten about! What did you expect, some sane decisions?
Reduction in aero? Wider track cars? Improved overtaking opportunities? - thats just plain silly...

[Tristan]

Yes, it MIGHT be fun. It might work. I hope it does. Even if it DOES, it'll be a gimmick that avoids the real problems that F1 is suffering from. What's changed for next year OTHER than superpole?? Quick!! First post gets special treatment in the Vegimite thread!!

[Glen]

Since no meeting has been held where technical regulations could be discussed or changed, and they have already agreed to keep things the same for 2003, then its not really surprising that nothing has changed. All of the proposals were of sporting regulations.

Even so "the real problem" (as I see it) was addressed to a degree - money. By (hopefully) making qualifying less predictable we should see some exposure for teams other than the red ones, the white ones and the silver ones - which the sponsors will appreciate. Also, the redistribution of points could give some lower teams more money (marginal that one). The tyre rule hasn't really attracted much attention, but that too should give other tems at least the potential to compete on more even terms, since tyre manufacturers will no longer be able to force all teams to choose from such a limited range of tyres.

If you think the "real problem" is more to do with overtaking, then we might get some benefit from more mixed-up grids.

Or perhaps you that the "real problem" is lack of importance of driver skill... in which case you can take some small comfort from the new high-pressure qualifying format which could be an interesting way to separate the men from the boys.

Any measure such as a return to slick tyres and the reduction of aerodynamic aids would need a lead time of at least a year to accomodate, and would have to be very carefully analysed beforehand too. Potentially you could re-write the formula and make it a lot more dangerous - the designers would need to think carefully about radical changes and then all agree that they could work with them. Don't forget, it's not up to the FIA and Bernie, they only get one vote each.