NEW QUALI FORMAT TO GO ON TRIAL
At the start of 2016, Formula 1 attempted to revolutionise its qualifying format by introducing an extra elimination rule, whereby drivers were knocked out one-by-one mid-session rather than at the end of each segment. The experiment proved to be an unmitigated disaster: F1 chiefs not only had to revert to the previous version after two failed attempts, they were lambasted for trying to fix something which wasn’t broken. Since then, the format has undergone only cosmetic changes – but it looks as though there will be another experiment in the course of the current championship.
F1 is preparing to try out a new format at the Emilia Romagna GP in May. The crux of the change is to force teams to use different tyre compounds in different segments of qualifying. Drivers will be required to use only hard tyres in Q1, mediums in Q2 and softs in Q3.
The main objective is to reduce the number of sets F1’s official tyre supplier, Pirelli, brings to every GP. Each driver currently receives 13 sets of tyres for the whole weekend; as part of the experiment this number will be reduced to 11. The distribution will be three sets of the hard, four of the medium and four of the soft.
This will have a major impact on the way teams operate throughout the weekend. Early predictions are that drivers will be forced to use only one set of softs in FP2 and another in FP3 – to ensure there are two sets of softs for the decisive Q3 runs. Drivers who drop out after Q2 will theoretically have two fresh sets of softs for the race, which could provide an advantage on some tracks.
In the event of rain during qualifying, drivers will be allowed to use any tyre – from full wets and intermediates to slicks of any compound on the drying track.
It’s expected the experimental format will also be used at another event later in the season, and only then will F1 decide whether it needs to be made the norm. If it proves successful, it could come in full-time from 2024.
Not everyone is impressed, though. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has already said the prospect of using hard tyres in qualifying doesn’t appeal to him.
“I hope it’s not going to be cold in Imola, otherwise it’s going to be quite tricky,” he said. “It’s the same for everyone but I don’t think we need to do these kinds of things in qualifying. I don’t really see the benefit of it.”
He added: “It’s better if we make sure all the cars are close to each other and more competitive instead of spicing things up in that way.”
Coming from a driver whose team undoubtedly has the best car at the moment, these words sound particularly convincing. But if the new format doesn’t harm the show and helps F1 move a little closer to its stated sustainability goals, that would surely be no bad thing.