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The phrase ‘if ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has been applied whenever Formula One’s bosses have openly discussed the subject of format changes.
Three practice sessions and a three-stage qualifying format currently form a significant component of a grand prix weekend, though the possibility of seeing the qualifying session changed is once again strong.
At the most recent Strategy Group meeting, a revised format was broached for qualifying, to include a fourth stage which would feature the fastest eight drivers from Q3 – thus determining pole position.
Citing that the change is being investigated for generating more excitement around qualifying, having a Q4 also opens the possibility for more tyre variation and might even restrict the top teams from gambling with harder tyres in what would then be Q2 or Q3.
“They’ve been doing a lot of research among fans, and they feel this is one of the things that fans would like,” explained Formula One race director Charlie Whiting.
“Slightly shorter [sessions], slightly shorter time between them, four go out in Q1, four, four, leaving eight. I personally think it’s quite a nice idea, but that’s not my decision.”
On the contrary, McLaren’s new sporting director, Gil de Ferran, saud on RaceFans.net that the current qualifying is the best option.
“I think the most important thing in qualifying, at least for me when I’m watching, is that I want to know the fastest guy is on pole,” he said.
“As a driver – and I’ve done a lot of driving in qualifying – you know I always wanted to be the fastest guy and I think that this format is the best format to actually determine that. So that when you’re on pole position it has some meaning and some value. And I kind of like that.”
If introduced at the start of the 2019 season, then there would be the matter of tyre allocations to address as mentioned too by Whiting. Teams would naturally require an additional set of tyres to their weekend allocations, if an extra session is to be contested.
Apart from that, there is little to dislike about introducing Q4 to qualifying and is certainly an improvement on the abomination that was ‘elimination qualifying’, which was trialled in 2016 and canned following the opening rounds of the championship.
Though the timeless question remains; if it ain’t broke, why fix it? There is not a great deal wrong with the current format, with much of the limited track exposure for all the drivers and teams attributed greatly to the fact the hybrid power-units at times require the cotton-wool treatment.
Excessive grid penalties for mass power-unit changes across the grid contributed to the dull early stages of qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix. If a quarter of the field wasn’t already consigned to the rear beforehand, perhaps the spectacle would have been different.
In the end, there are areas beyond the mere format of qualifying that need addressing to create a more exciting product. As harmless as Q4 sounds in comparison to the 2016 change, this solution feels like it may not improve the spectacle.
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