[Poll] Survey on preferred qualifying format

[dave kumar]

I'm leaving aside the debate on the three session elimination format as this was brought in for TV to ensure that there are cars on the track for more time during the qualifying session. I don't think this was a bad concession to make although I must admit I was a big fan of the original format, 12 laps over an hour (original? - was there unlimited number of laps/tyres before this?). The skill and risk involved in picking the right time to take to the track was entertainment enough for me. You know a bit like watching cricket, nothing happens for an hour and you can just enjoy the skill of the commentators try to fill the void.

But I digress. I want to focus on fuel strategy. Do people like the extra dimension to race strategy given by the current qualifying system?

Does it stand that the best strategy is to carry as much fuel as possible whilst still giving yourself a shot at pole. I say this because it seems reasonable to assume that it is much better to carry more fuel and get pole by 0.01s than to have run light and grabbed pole by, say 0.5s. Can you take this a step further and say it is better to err on being too heavy and risk only getting on the second row if you know that you have wrung everything out of the car and are in good shape for the race.

I was going to go further and say Kimi is an example of this but even though he qualified second and forth in Malaysia and Bahrain respectively (technical problem in Australia) he only stopped a lap after Massa in Malaysia and the lap before Hamilton, and three laps before Kubica. In Bahrain he stopped the lap before Massa, (further undermining my theory) but three laps after Kubica. Is it always optimal to use all your fuel on a particular stint? I presume the team may pull a driver in a lap or two early to get him out in some clear air? So may be we can't read too much into the lap number of the first fuel stop with regards to qualifying fuel level.

So as well as the poll being conducted, feel free to comment on whether qualifying with the fuel you intend to start the race with adds more in way of race strategy than it takes away by robbing both spectator and driver of the purity of qualifying on low fuel.

[dave kumar]

Just found this quote from Massa

Q1 and Q2 are so long and then you have to wait in the garage and having a very heavy car to drive in Q3 is not really much fun, even if I put in a fantastic qualifying lap in Q3 in Malaysia to take pole position.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2008/03/ ... -improved/

[Belatti]

Option no.1

Starting fuel is your matter and should be a secret.
Qualifying on vapours is cool, I like raw speed, I´m a Senna fan!

[SMP]

I used to find qualifying a great test of raw speed of each driver. This would be a place for drivers like Massa, Trulli, Sato (all great talents) to score over probably more accomplished racers like Kimi/Alonso. But that gives the latter set an oppurtunity to adjust the fuel strategy and battle it out on the track.

I think the current method of pre-set fuel load sacrifices this aspect of getting back in contention for a win with a different/radical strategy. Schumacher at Hungary-98 comes to mind.

Take the last race for eg - Once qualifying was done, Kimi might have known that 2nd place was realistically the bets he could have done. But if he had the chance to get a different fuel load, maybe he could have leap frogged Massa.

Many of the current rules were brought in to stop Schumi's domination. Eg - pre-set fuel loads (to try and mix up the grid a bit) and point system (to keep things close for longer). This was very wrong (reacting to a great sporting performance rather than changing things based on logic) and maybe these should be rolled back now.

[bhall]

Teams should be allowed to qualify on whatever fuel load they desire, and also with whatever car settings they desire - just so long as no parts are changed between quali and the race - and then be allowed to readjust fuel and settings for the race.

I've never understood the aspect of parc ferme that doesn't allow these sorts of things. After all, a car is a car is a car; as long as they remain the same component-wise, I see no reason at all to bar engineers from getting the most out of them in each of the vastly different environments comprising qualifying and the race.

It would make for much better on-track action, I believe.

[nae]

good poll, loads of scope to argue for either option.
back in the oldé 12 laps , 1hr vapor qually days the top teams
all but rolled out a different car for qually, brake ducts, engine ducts
and all sorts of things where changed and the car virtually rebuilt overnight
and before the engine longevity days new engines and gearboxes replaced
the special qually engine (grenades)

this had the effect of giving the big budget teams a further advantage as
the smaller teams didnt always have the parts or the manpower to change them

so in that regard, not only does it save money but levels the field as
everybody can only build the one race car for races.

i cant remember who said it but its a fairly well know quote

if you spend time qualifying cars where the fastest ends up at the front
you really should be surprised if there is no overtaking thereafter

i paraphrase here

having the teams qually with race fuel adds another, all be it slight, varible
to the mix and in my view spices up the grid

i dont think bmw would have been on the pole at Bahrain in the older qually formats
the red team would have locked out the front row and then ran and hid during the race (which isnt far from what happened anyway)

i personally want to see race cars racing not one run specials, if i wanted one run cars i would go watch drag racing

[SMP]

I think what nae and bhallg2k said can go hand in hand.

If the main issue is with one lap special cars and grenade engines, then it only needs the regulation changed to ensure no parts are replaced between qualifying and race. Maybe the FIA can oversee teams don't do more than filling fuel, changing tyres, wing angles, etc.

But having the cars qualify with race fuel only provides an artificial mix up. I prefer some rare overtaking of great class and oppurtunism rather than watching a Ferrari/McLaren overtake a Force India or a Super Aguri in every race. (A bit of exqageration but, you get the point).

[Belatti]

I prefer some rare overtaking of great class and oppurtunism rather than watching a Ferrari/McLaren overtake a Force India or a Super Aguri in every race. (A bit of exqageration but, you get the point).

I get the point, not all overtaking moves are "emotive".

[mariof1]

The simpler the better.

Track open for an hour, twelve laps, four tyre sets, free choice of fuel load and specific car settings. Then you have to wait 30+ minutes to see some action? No.

Divide the session into 15min windows and impose by rules no more than 3 laps in each window and some sort of penalty if a driver fails to register a timed lap.

Advantages:
- optimal car settings for qualifying;
- optimal strategies for the race regarding fuel and car setup;
- 1 hour of uninterrupted action;
- almost equal track conditions for all drivers in each 15min window (track temeprature or even in wet conditions);
- no misleading results;

Disadvantages:
- some people might get angry with no time for commercial breaks. This can be sorted out by reducing each window from 15 to 12 minutes or so.

Better TV graphics showing more than two drivers split times simultaneously would be needed for full enjoyment as well as good use split screens.

[bhall]

The simpler the better.

Track open for an hour, twelve laps, four tyre sets, free choice of fuel load and specific car settings. Then you have to wait 30+ minutes to see some action? No.

That may not have been simple, but damn, it was elegant.

I like not knowing exactly what's going on; it adds greatly to the mystery and intrigue, which is currently all but gone in F1. And I think someone said this earlier, but with decent commentary, those first thirty minutes of relative inaction aren't necessarily a curse. All it takes is decent commentary with occasional insight and humor, and I'm hooked. Lastly, there's a reason Q3 is (was) the most entertaining quali session; who doesn't love an all-out mad dash, with cars thrashing around the track, trying to achieve perfection? The old format permitted the possibility of all the cars doing just that, not just the currently allowed ten. It was brilliant.

[DaveKillens]

You don't need qualifying engines and tires, but I believe that qualifying is for the fastest. Not who went quickest under weird fuel and tire regulations.
Allow the teams to select what fuel quantity they wish for both Q and the race start.

[ESPImperium]

What id like to see is:

Q1
On vapours
Lasting 30 mins

Q2
you insert race fuel, lasting 20 mins

Q3
Qualify on the remainder of the fuel you have from Q2
Each driver must complete 3 consecutive fast laps one a single "stint" session like the single lap style, but with a 3 lap format.
Lasts 10 mins

[flynfrog]

Give them two flying laps you call it a day.

Spend the TV time showing a support series

[Conceptual]

I think the laps of Q3 need to be the fastest laps of qualifying. I think pre-determining your race load (what they do now) and then doing low fuel runs. Maybe even launch the teams by garage position, and force the teams to go out on track for two car hot laps. You cannot refuse to go, so you may get 4-5 laps in Q3. If the teams would be launched 10 seconds after the hot lapper passes the pits, you wouldnt have slow cars blocking.

It would be like combining the hot lap quali with the knockout format. You pre-qual and then shoot out.

It would allow for more passing as well, because the fuel loads would possibly make that time difference needed to pass even closer. If you quali first, and then run a 2 stopper, 3rd place on a 3 stopper can leapfrog you.

I would love to see that... Especially if the teams were to alternate the leading car each time out, trying to setup a slipstream for the following car to take advantage of to set a better time. THAT would make it a team sport!

[ESPImperium]

Or do it this way; have 2 qualifying sessions like this:

Q1
Lasts 40-45 mins
Old 90s rules apply, like the old 1 hour session
But with unrestricted lap ammounts
Run on vapours

Q2
Lasts for 10 mins for the top 8 drivers after Q1
Race fuel added, all drivers here must qualify on the prime (hard) tyre, and take this ste to the race, unless theres a Nurburgring or Fuji 2007 senario where the race starts on wets.
All drivers given a single, 3 fast lap shootout

Other rule changes i would do:
What ever tyre you start on, you must finish on the other type eg; Start on Prime (Hard) you must do 2 stints on the Option (Soft).