I think its great, however its a halfway house to where id like to go for the race as well. Id like to limit the fuel to 200kg for Qualifying and the race. However, id also reintroduce refuelling in the race for a single refuelling stop if a driver/team so wishes to do so. With it id limit the tank size to 120kg, and that the top 8 drivers need to put in their race fuel for Q3, and what is left needs to be taken through to the race, like the 2008/2009 rules. Then 4 hours after quail the FIA release the weights for the top 8. If a driver wants to refuel with what fuel they have left, they can do so in a fuel only stop that can only be taken after 50% of the race distance but not in the last 10 laps of the race.F1 teams agree elimination style qualifying for 2016
By: Jonathan Noble, Formula 1 Editor
Formula 1 teams have agreed to the introduction of a radical elimination style qualifying format as part of a move to improve the show.
After hours of discussion in Geneva between team bosses and F1 chiefs regarding future ideas, sources have revealed that some proposals gained support. One of them is for an elimination style of qualifying, where the slowest car at certain segments is eliminated.
Although details of the new qualifying format have not been set in stone, sources have revealed that an outline agreement is in place for the system. The rule change idea still need approval by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council next month, but it is understood that the plan is to have it come in as early as this year. However, the process would still need looking at in detail by sporting directors - which could expose previously unforeseen problems that make it unworkable.
How it works
Q1
-16 minutes duration;
- After 7 minutes, the slowest driver is eliminated;
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
- 7 drivers eliminated, 15 progress to Q2.
Q2
- 15 minutes duration;
- After 6 minutes, slowest driver eliminated;
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
- 7 drivers eliminated, 8 progress to Q3.
Q3
- 14 minutes;
- After 5 minutes, slowest driver eliminated;
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag;
- 2 drivers left in final 1 minute 30 seconds.
Time ballast
The F1 Commission also discussed a penalty system whereby extra time is added to each drivers' qualifying time on the basis of championship positions. A study was conducted using the 2015 Abu Dhabi GP with the championship leader having four seconds added to his qualifying time, with everyone else taking extra time on a sliding scale. It is understood that this could have been combined with the elimination system, but it is not believed to have gathered the necessary support.
Bodywork delay
Teams have also agreed to delay a final decision on 2017 bodywork rules until April 30, as teams chase a rules solution that will deliver a much-desired speed improvement. Also discussed was the potential abandonment of the 100kgs fuel limit from 2017 on the basis that the faster cars will require more fuel to run at their fuel potential. McLaren and Red Bull were reportedly in favour of such a move, but it was not passed. The more likely compromise will be a 105kgs limit.
That means for Spa it would be a 12 lap window for fuel stops, for Hungary it would mean a 20 lap window.
Im not trying to make the racing artificial I'm trying to make the racing a bit more unpredictable and if that means there is a more strategic element and a slightly more unpredictable element with the new tyre rules. It would mean that the whole weekend needs to be watched for the race strategies to be understood and for the whole race to make sense.
As for the bodywork rules, id have opened up enough in the aero side to make them faster, kept enough of a carry over from this present chassis regulation, probably make the rear wing wider to 2008 width but 2009-2016 height and reintroduce the beam wing with a standardised central section. Then at the front id raise the nose by 35mm at the tip, and allow the front wing and allow the front wing to go to 2000mm wide again. As for the tyres, is make the front 245mm wide from 300mm wide and make the rears 400mm wide and not the present 325mm wide. Id also increase the rim size to 15 inches from the present 13 inches, as for diameter, id increase the front and rear diameter by 5mm on each. Basically give enough aero back to make things interesting, but id also make enough tyre improvements in order to increase the mechanical grip and make the balance of the car a lot better between aero/mechanical/power unit. Id also do something in order to limit the software side of things as to stop the top teams having secret tools/maps to manage the engine, id limit make the engine side of things where every software map for each car for manufacturer teams and customer teams has to be the same with only one upgrade allowed when a new engine specification is done.
I think F1 with good enough management can be one hell of a close and a great sport to watch.
