Qualifying

[Lizzerd]

I was thinking about the new qualifying rules and a couple questions popped into my head. How will the order of the single flying lap attempts be determined? Has anybody heard? Practice speed? Points? Blind draw? The reason I ask is because it could have a tremendous impact on the outcome of a race.

Consider... Qualifying order is in inverse order of points. As the second Minardi completes its lap, the clouds open up. The track conditions get worse and worse. By the time The Chin, as the last qualifier, takes the track the rain is really coming down and he can't muster a time even close to the Willimas duo who were just ahead of his red car in the order. The Minardis, on the dry track, set the top two speeds in the session and fill the front row.

Consider the inverse, or anything in between. The Chin goes first on a wet but drying track. Halfway through the session, in the dryest conditions of the session, Trulli takes pole. It rains again. Minardi, qualifying last, can't beat the 107% time of the Renault. The Chin starts mid-pack, but will the Minardis not make the race? Along those lines, would Shumi miss the race in scenario one if he missed the 107%? (Oh wait, he's in a Ferrari. Never mind.)

Could make some very interesting starting grids, but I still think this single lap thing is a very bad idea. Any other thoughts?

[Lizzerd]

Come on, people. Am I the only one who's thought of this stuff?

[Hink]

No - It has all of the potential of a lottery.

Maybe that wood make a more eggciting race as some might say, but Grand Prix it ain't.

[RTKar]

There's going to be two sessions, one Friday, the other on Saturday each running one hour. Each driver will have a single lap (plus one out lap and one in lap). The running order on Friday will be according to championship points - the leader goes first. Saturday's order will be determined by Friday's times but in reverse. There will be one hour of practice on Friday and an hour and a half on Saturday. There's additional practice for two hours on Friday for teams not running more than 10 days of private practice. Spare cars and drivers can be used. (paraphrased from F1 Racing)

[JoeBob]

And, in a new twist, cars must start the race with whatever fuel is left in the car after qualifying.

The whole qualifying/race procedure is explained here: http://espn.go.com/rpm/f1/2003/0213/1508382.html

[Warlock!]

Originally posted by JoeBob
And, in a new twist, cars must start the race with whatever fuel is left in the car after qualifying.
...And because of this new rule, Sunday practice will be abandoned. :saywhat: This has got to be the goofiest G*dd*mn bunch of bulls**** to ever come to play in a racing series, much less the pinnacle of auto racing, in the history of the f****in' wheel!

Winter Warlock!

[Don Quixote]

It seems that you could never do a one stop strategy, bacause you would qualify in the back of the pack. So the teams will start with a splash of fuel and run only several laps before pitting. I also wonder if they will race less at the start of the race because they are going to come in soon anyway. Very wierd.

[Cam]

They must have REALLY good mind altering drugs in Europe! :shakehead

[Foxman]

Originally posted by JoeBob
And, in a new twist, cars must start the race with whatever fuel is left in the car after qualifying.

The whole qualifying/race procedure is explained here: http://espn.go.com/rpm/f1/2003/0213/1508382.html

mad, absolutely mad - this is NUTS, no refueling after qual?!?! Max is turning what was a circus into a freak sideshow.