Testing Restrictions - Free Practice Meaning More???

[ESPImperium]

With the mid season test restrictions, are FP1 and FP2 and FP3 all mean allot more to the teams now???

I see more teams going out on longer stints, and doing more and more laps, with teams doing arround 1000km before the race, shurely this is what the testing ban was ment for. But id like to see more of it, say the Friday sessions made into a 2 2 hour format.

I have came to the conclusion that id like to see a competitive element introduced, as has been discussed before. The only diffrence that id like to see is that the fastest driver over each session gets a 3 points for being fastest.

I think that would make more intrest in FPs more, id exempt the Saturday one, but make it shorter by 15 mins, make teams squeese more into it, make it mean more to get the last minuite checks right.

Does anyone else see that FPs are becoming more and more integral for teams in the weekend, and would a change in format and a competitive element be a step forward???

Whats everyones opinions???

[GTO]

No points for FP's, but I would not mind points for qualifying on pole.

[Conceptual]

I don't like the idea of adding a competitive element to FP's.

If they did, that would stop the teams from using them for testing, because they would need to concentrate on being the fastest, and at that point, make the in-season testing ban even MORE difficult for the teams.

I do like the two 120 minute session idea, since it doesn't cost the promoters any more money to let the cars run longer, and it would give the teams much more time to develop their cars over the race weekend.

The better the cars are setup BEFORE quali/parc ferme, the better in my book. As it should lead to more competitive racing.

[timbo]

I have came to the conclusion that id like to see a competitive element introduced, as has been discussed before. The only diffrence that id like to see is that the fastest driver over each session gets a 3 points for being fastest.

Well, I don't want points to be given for anything else other than racing on track, but there may be some sort of advantage. Like, fastest car in FP does not have to publish its weight, or is allowed to use single compound type per race, or something similar, but not points.

Does anyone else see that FPs are becoming more and more integral for teams in the weekend, and would a change in format and a competitive element be a step forward???

I is hard to tell, maybe. I tried to do some quick comparison between this year and 2008 and numbers of laps seem close.

[ESPImperium]

I have came to the conclusion that id like to see a competitive element introduced, as has been discussed before. The only diffrence that id like to see is that the fastest driver over each session gets a 3 points for being fastest.

I like that idea very much. Like to publish weight and use single compound for the race. Or allow that car to have a more powerful KERS boost when all the cars have KERS on them.

[kilcoo316]

I have came to the conclusion that id like to see a competitive element introduced, as has been discussed before. The only diffrence that id like to see is that the fastest driver over each session gets a 3 points for being fastest.

Sorry - I disagree 100%.

Free practice is just that... FREE practice. Free of rules and restrictions.


The teams have enough on their plate with testing new developments and getting set-up for the race on Sunday without this added distraction.


The whole weekend is geared towards the races - I don't see a need to take away from that. My only possible suggestion would be a point for pole and a point for fastest lap... but even then its only a half hearted suggestion.

[jon-mullen]

I wouldn't mind seeing a point for pole and one for fastest race lap, as those (and finishing first) are definitely part of the race. Practice however is clearly meant as preparation and giving out points or benefits as a result of your practice time would be distracting to the goal, which is setting up a car that you can put on pole and race.

[JamesS]

Extra points for pole sounds like a good idea to me.

[okram]

Free practice is just that... FREE practice. Free of rules and restrictions.

That's not the case.