due to the increase in grid size and refueling ban, this was a forgone conculsion... Carol * * * * * * planet f1 Formula One will once again see minor changes to the qualifying format for next year's Championship as the FIA takes into account the increased grid size and the ban on refuelling. In 2010, the F1 grid will increase from 20 to 26 cars, which means instead of losing five cars per session in the opening two qualifying segments, eight will now be eliminated. That will leave ten cars, as per the current system, to fight for pole position in the final qualifying segment. There is, however, one big change to the final segment - and this should please Formula One fans. Instead of the top-ten running on the fuel loads that they will use at the very start of the grand prix, they will now run on minimal fuel, allowing F1 fans to truly see who is the quickest. This rule has been changed in order to accommodate the 2010 ban on refuelling.
Thanks Carol. I don't know if I like part two. It seems to remove an interesting bit of strategy. I understand that the average spectator is clueless as to this aspect of the sport but is it dumbing down things for the sake of the "show"?
Oh joy: Turn one with 26 cars carrying 77 laps of fuel. Add the snow plow noses and minimal rear downforce. The scrap dealers are drooling. By the second race, the FIA will have to rule that coming in at the end of lap 1 for a new nose and new tires won't satisfy the "one stint on each compound" rule. (Maybe they'll also copy the Indycar "three laps" rule.)
Yes, and in reading into this, will the eliminated cars be allowed to "top off" for the race as well then as the top ten? if this doesn't occur, that will be one short F1 extravaganza for the "sake of show" for clueless spectators. Also questioning how the races will be determined - without refueling then they obviously run fewer laps unless they are adapting the cars to be an aerodynamic gas can??? if so, I need one of those when I do my mowing around here! Carol
I like the changes, they seemed to have made the best our of which quite frankly is a sh!te rule. I still don't like the No refueling rule. It take away the element of supprise, of who's pitting first out of the leading 2-3. Also now all the cars will just follow each other for the whole race, instead of.... as an example " Vettel is right behind Button, Buttton is fueled light so will have to pit soon, if Vettel can put some hot laps in the he might be able to jump him". BORING!!!!!!!!
Laugh about..I'm still laughing at DGS's post ..The scrap dealers are drooling. And Carols aerodynamic gas cans LOL
What (non)sense does it make to have cars running around with no fuel to see who is fastest only to fill them to the brim for the race? They added refueling back because they didn't like the spectacle without refueling so now they go back to no refueling again. How is this different to what it was when they didn't like no refueling in the 90's? Have you ever seen such a major sporting entity change it's rules of the game so often and so needlessly? I haven't. Any wagers on what year they go back to refueling(again)?
In my opinion David is right, pre racee weights and who pits when gave the punters something to think about..
So will no refueling mean fewer pit stops? With opportunity for passing being minimal anyway on most tracks, fewer pit stops will mean fewer passes and we will all end up watching the cars go round and round with no position changes. Great way to keep everyone interested in the sport. For myself I would rather watch grow. The racing this year has been the most boring ever.
As I infer into it all 26 cars will run light for qualifying. All will fill for the race. I actually liked this years qualifying rules so as to let the teams pick their fuel loads and tires based on overall race strategy. Some giving up grid positions for longer term goals. This mixed up the race and you had to keep in your mind who really had the best shot going into the last series of stops. Now what you see is what you get. How are the tire rules going to be ? This will determine the new strategies.
IMO, they old free for all qualifying was the best. The fastest car will be starting 1st, no strategy nonsense. Quali is quali, race is race.
YES - JYS & Ronnie Peterson going for pole, Silverstone, circa 1971 - *Awesome*. NO - Sitting in the stands for the first hour of quali looking at an empty track
To me it means gas mileage will be key. I bet a few cars will calculate wrong, and run out on the last lap of a race. Remember a few races ago when Ferrari wanted Massa to conserve fuel, but keep his position? His exasperation was classic. Everyone knows that a Toyota gets better mileage than a Ferrari. Advantage Toyota. Will they still publish race weights to see who has to conserve fuel? KERS may be able to help the mileage by using it as much as possible. Is KERS coming back next year?
