Sports Car Forum - MotorWorld.net - Changes to Race Weekends Next Season

Sports Car Forum - MotorWorld.net (http://www.motorworld.net/forum/index.php)

- Motorsport News And Discussion (http://www.motorworld.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=23)

- - Changes to Race Weekends Next Season (http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1824)

Changes to Race Weekends Next Season

Quotes from F1-live http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.h...04134425.shtml

Quote:

The format for grand prix weekends has undergone further changes after the F1 team bosses agreed to revamp race weekends.

Friday qualifying, which was implemented this season, has been given the boot although with Friday’s private testing, that Jaguar, Jordan, Minardi and Renault took part in this year. However, to make allowances for the smaller teams, the bosses agreed that the bottom six teams in the standings will be allowed to run a third car during Friday’s two free practice sessions.

Friday’s first practice session will take place from 11h00 to 12h00 as per usual, while the second will be run from 14h00 to 15h00, filling the slot left by Qualifying 1.

Saturday mornings will still host two practice sessions, while the one-and-only qualifying session will take place from 14h00 to 15h30. Instead of the one lap shoot-out that was implemented this season, drivers will now take part in a two-lap shoot-out.

The running order for the first shoot-out will be determined by the previous race’s results, while the running order for the second shoot- out will see the driver with the slowest time in the first run be the first out.

Sunday’s format will remain as it was this season.

Sounds interesting, but i still prefer the old style qualifying format where you get the madness of 20 drivers trying to get the best time of the day in the dying minutes of qualifying where anything can happen, and where us fans can trully get to see the best car and best driver prevail at the end of the day. Not some strategy driven qualifying where you dont know who is the better driver or car because of race strategies where cars have different fuel loads in qualifying, but thats just my 2 cents. Two years ago, it was such joy to see Montoya snatching pole after pole from schumy on his final laps. Qualifying was just as exciting as the races themselves, this year qualifying seems more of a formality than anything else. Its too early to critisize the new format, we will just have to wait and see.

Re: Changes to Race Weekends Next Season

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekwar

Absolutely!
The whole idea behind the new system was to make sure tv audiences got to see all cars make their qualifying attempt. What that actually means is that the slower teams get some unadulterated air time for their sponsors which is fair enough but Formula 1 is aiming for mass market and that market enjoys excitement and tension building so the old system, imo wins for Formula1 which ever way you brake it down.

Minardi and Jordan etc still get their air time [allbeit] on the "TrackB" cameras but ofcourse thats only for F1+ viewers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekwar

Not some strategy driven qualifying where you dont know who is the better driver or car because of race strategies where cars have different fuel loads in qualifying.

From what i remember from qualifying, most of the top runners were pretty much on the same or very similar fuel loads for the magority of the races. I dont think we witnessed too many shockers.[so thank fuck for the weather]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekwar

Its too early to critisize the new format.

Maybe for you but not for me.... :)

I doubt most TV companies will extend their F1 airing time to accomodate the 1'st qualifying and even if they do i mean, would you really watch it? (asking the general public). I certainly will but im a slightly different F1 fan[atic] :) . I cant see the new format being any better, infact more mundane.