zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
Formula One Can't Make Up Its Own Mind About Messing With Qualifying
Formula One Can't Make Up Its Own Mind About Messing With Qualifying-May 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:34

We might see some changes to Formula One’s qualifying system for the first race of the 2016 season after all. F1 apparently can’t make up its own damn mind.

Last week, the Formula One Commission approved an that would eventually whittle the field down to two cars at the end of the third session. Then Formula One Management—who handles F1's timing software—mentioned that this last-minute switch would be for them to implement, and nixed the idea of switching up qualifying until at least the fifth race of the season.

Now reports that we might see a hybrid of the two systems while F1 gets their act together on finalizing whatever it is they want to do this season. The first and second qualifying sessions will feature the new qualifying system where one car will be pulled off the track after a certain point in the session every ninety seconds. However, the third and final session won’t pull any cars from the track at all. Instead, all eight cars that make it into Q3 will be left out for the entire session.

Team sporting directors indicated to F1 that they were concerned about tire wear becoming an issue. According to James Allen on F1, F1's faster teams feel as if the new qualifying system will force them to use a faster tire from the start of the first qualifying session. Previously, they could have used the harder prime tire to get through to the second session, saving their fastest tire for the last session.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told attendees at a Mobil 1 event, as quoted by James Allen on F1:

The idea is to mix up the grids and the teams will just have to cope with the new system in Melbourne and get on with it.

It is going to create more stress and more mess. So it will put pressure on drivers and teams. Any mistake will be paid for.

Boullier’s less than enthusiastic sounding words indicated that there were still a lot of questions as to how the new system would be implemented. Well, that makes two of us.

Likewise, reports that the new qualifying system met a “lukewarm response from drivers” when it was first unveiled. The elimination-based qualifying system still needs to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council before it is implemented.

Of course, one vital component of a race weekend hasn’t been brought up much: the fans. Even if they figure out a way to make this more complicated system work, swapping qualifying formats mid-season seems more confusing than fan-friendly.

Formula One’s drivers have come out against the idea of switching up qualifying, according to . 13 of the series’ drivers met with FIA race director Charlie Whiting this evening to discuss it, and shared their thoughts.

Force India driver Sergio Perez summed up the remarks to Sky Sports News, as quoted by Autosport:

We’re not very happy with the rules they want to implement. Let’s see if they can change it.

For the fans it can be very complicated to understand. It’s complicated for us already, so for the fans it will just make things more and more complicated.

We feel the qualifying at the moment is really good. I don’t think there is a reason to change that.

Both Perez and McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen indicated to Autosport that they were glad that Whiting asked for their input on the matter, however, it’s probably not the feedback Whiting wanted to hear at this point.

Contact the author at .

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
Race Team Would Rather Create A Fake AI Woman Rather Than Hire A Real One
In another unsurprising example of motorsport’s inhospitable mindset toward hiring competent women, the Racing team has announced a new partnership with Ava Rose, a literal , who will... engage with fans? Share knowledge about technology? “Navigate the cutting edge of innovation to create positive change” (whatever that means)? I...
May 6, 2025
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
You've Probably Never Heard Of The Coolest Canadian Car Ever Built
Name a car from the early 1960s built by a famed racing driver with curvy, lightweight aluminum bodywork, a big American engine, and a reputation for being unruly and fast as all hell. Your first thought was probably the famed Shelby Cobra, did you know there was a who...
May 6, 2025
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
After Delivering 8 Seasons At The Back Of The Grid, Haas F1 Team Dumps Guenther Steiner
The partially North Carolina-based squad has determined that after , it needs to mix things up a little. The team’s firebrand has been following an abysmal 2023 season which saw the team score just four points-paying finishes. The team’s , where scored a fourth-place finish, but that season too...
May 6, 2025
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Get Ready To Spend All Your Money On Retro Formula 1 Merch
Fellow nerds, get ready to open your wallets, because I’ve found what may be the greatest store of all time. With designs from Formula 1 teams like , you’re sure to find something that fits your particular nostalgic niche. I’d like to introduce you to Racing Retro. I first...
May 6, 2025
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
Local Businesses Want Compensation After Allegedly Losing Money During Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix
If you listen to Formula 1 or local officials from Las Vegas and Clark County, you’d probably think November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was a success. Some sources estimated that the city of Las Vegas made over $1 billion in revenue from the event — but there were...
May 6, 2025
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
Listen To In-Car Audio From Race Cars While You Work
If you follow racing in the U.S., you probably already know about the . Most of the episodes are too much of a distraction to put on as background noise while you work, but a couple of recent entries in his series have been working incredibly well for me....
May 6, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved