qualifying suggestion

[DKGandBH]

Three 15 minute sessions seperated by Two 7.5 minute (add) breaks.
(Total time 60 minutes)

Each driver may do 4 laps each session on low fuel.
(Allows for 6 "timed" laps)

With whatever engine and tyre rules that apply.

David.

[climb]

One 30 min session like the previous, plus one like the current (with PF). Grid decided by combined best lap times.

[Kicking-back]

One lap each, low fuel.

[EERO]

4 1 hour sessions, 2 on Friday, 2 on Saturday. Fastest time in any session gets the Pole. Its the way it used to be and aside from the fact that it it wasn't a TV-friendly format, it worked.

[Aysedasi]

With you there Eero - TV-friendly..... If only we could worry just a bit less about TV and money.......

[Adam43]

These series that just mess around with the qualifying sessions all the time! Terrible.

Yes, each session counts. I like that. It may get the cars more on track for the spectators.

Has anyone read Legends in motorsport. It is about the British GP. Back in the late sixies all sessions counts. Although in the last session they gave £100 to whoever was fastest at each half hour period.

If only it was a bit less like money...

[Gt_R]

I'd still stand by my idea.

Saturday =

One 30-min 3-one lap qualifying sessions on Qualifying fuel load. (No adverts)

15 mins break in garage to top up fuel to race load/tyres, and final adjustments. details submitted confidentially to stewards. 15mins to set up grid formation. (Advert time)

Cars line up according to quals time for a 8 to 10 lap sprint race (depending on circuit length). The finishing position would be starting grid for Sunday main race. (no adverts)

Cars are not allowed to be adjusted/refuelled after the sprint race. Damaged car in sprint race can be repaired (refuelled according to race-amount submitted earlier) and start from the back.

Sunday = Actual race. 100-min race distance (unless accidents/red flags). Engine cannot be changed after quals. Tyre choice to be finalised Friday.


Positive:
1) Sprint race will shake up grid order for Sunday race. Starts usually see change of positions and promises to mix the grid.
2) Entertainment value on Saturday, while fitting into a 1.5hr time schedule.
3) We see flat out sprint races WITHOUT pitstops on saturday. (to ensure racing, first 3 positions get 3, 2, 1 points respectively)
4) With dropping lap times, Sunday races are getting shorter (in terms of time), which is poor value for viewers + sponsors. 100min cap would ensure a minimum time for races irregardless.
5) a 100min time would ensure F1 remain a speed/sprint race , while throwing lap-based pit-stop strategy out of the window. Doors open for any strategy.

[Kicking-back]

That plan is quite interesting Gt_R, but I wouldn't hand out points for the qualfying race.

Points should only be awarded for the Grand Prix.

[Knowlesy]

Two single hour sessions, one on Friday, one on Saturday. Sticky tyres, low fuel. Best time from the two hours gets pole

I'd be a happy man.

[Kicking-back]

It has to be kept simple, really.

Your plan would do just that.

[luke]

2 Qualifing sessions Friday & Saturday 1 hour long similar to Motogp.

[Kicking-back]

Didn't he just say that!


Anyway - last year everyone was happy with qualifying.

All that's needed is to put the pre-qual session back to Friday, rather than just before Saturday qualifying.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Anyway - last year everyone was happy with qualifying.

I wasn't.

[Kicking-back]

Maybe not everyone, then, but there was far less complaint about it.

[luke]

I enjoyed last years qualifing but now its just a shambles.

[Kirk]

I quite like the idea of the driver pressured to perform in 1 lap qualifying. Stick with the present format except:
-allow low fuel load
-award points for qualifying order (perhaps top 6)
-top qualifiers draw for position order (again, perhaps top 6)

I know the purists disapprove, but it would be quite entertaining (for example) to see MS qualify 1st, start 5th or 6th on the grid. To add an extra twist you could allow the teams to choose their fuel strategy based on where they will start on the grid.

[esorniloc]

It is really pointless having more than one session.
The pre-96 format had a major problem if it rained or was just slower on the Saturday, there was no cars out.

At least with the current format we have cars out all the time and there are no problems with cars slowing others down. The problem is the first run in qualifying.
They should just have a bag of balls numbered 1-20 and each driver takes it in turns to pick a ball (number). They the driver with number 1 goes first and the driver with number 20 goes last.

[Kicking-back]

Very sensible plan there esorniloc.

One session, one lap each, low fuel, go out in a drawn order.

And NO POINTS FOR QUALIFYING!

[Armco Bender]

No point in rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,put it back to what it was in the old days.
Purism was O.K.

[Redblurr]

Bring back twelve laps of speeeeeeeed - to much stratedgy involved currently with current format, especially with regard to the first qualfying shambles I mean session.

[Flaming_Wuzzle]

Ok, my idea is this..

Thursday
Practice - free session, 2 hours

Friday
Practice - free session, 1 hour
Qual Session 1 - free session, 30 minutes
-unlimited laps, best one counts
Qual Session 2 - sprint race
-distance = 1/10 of race distance
-starting order determined by times in QS1

Saturday
Practice - free session, 2 hours

Sunday
Race

-No car/engine change between QS2 and race (car will be sent to the back of the grid)
-Tyre choice finalised before QS1

Just a clarification on the one-car/engine rule..
This means that between the end of the sprint race and the moment the red lights go off, the car or engine cannot be changed. If a team does so, the car will be sent to the back of the grid.

It probably wouldn't work, but I'd like to see the 30-min free-for-all/sprint race be the qualifying system..

[Fuzzyfelt]

Given that the first Grands Prix had their grids set by ballot, I don't understand why so many people seem to be against this idea.
The general public seem to enjoy 'games' where the outcome is decided randomly or arbitrarily.
I know it doesn't have a sense or spirit of competition, but it would solve our problems of nodding off on Sundays!off on Sundays!

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Fuzzyfelt
Given that the first Grands Prix had their grids set by ballot, I don't understand why so many people seem to be against this idea.

They did, of course, change this.

The original GP were also a lot longer, maybe split over several days, had a 'lap' that was dozens of miles long, rinding mechanics, and tended to happen in France. The argument what is best is not just based on the past. Sure we should learn from experience and there is a lot of experiences to learn from, but an old method can be rejected as well as accepted.

[D_Marshall]

Change qualifying to be like the DTM with a superpole shootout for the ten fastest drivers from the normal session. The first seesion could be half an hour long with nine laps (three flying laps) each.

The remaining drivers just line up from 11th onwards with there best lap from the first session counting.

[touringcarnut]

How about keeping the existing system, but removing the silly no refulling/changing tyres etc rule if you set a time, so that driverds will want to set a time, rather than dart into the pits.