Questions about qualifying

[mike]

can the cars refuel during the third period?
if this is allow why dont just do a fast lap with low fuel and good tyres
than refuel it do as lap as possible and refuel again at the end
so you will have a full tank of fuel for the start and while other cars are burning fuel during the first half their lap may be too slow to got their fuel back

and the team could use just one set on tyres during qualifying so they will have more for the race

[mini696]

No. The team nominates the amount of fuel they will be using prior to Q3.

[DaveKillens]

The regulations controlling this situation are here, in the FIA's rules. Most importantly, section 88 and topics 17, 18, practice and qualifying practice.
It is expected that whatever a car starts out on the third qualifying session will have the same amount of fuel at the start of the race. Those ten boring minutes we see at the start of the third session is to burn off fuel, so that at the last lap, they can go like stink.
In F1, starting position is critical. You have to start as far forward as possible. We have seen drivers start from the back and move to the front, but that ios a race exception. 95% of the time, where you start is pretty well how you finish.

[boban-mk]

FIA made a change last year in order to enable other drivers to be high on the grid that will normaly don't be there. They change that last year after they realize that McLaren and Kimi package are to strong and he will take all pols. So they change the rule so you see that last year Button, Trully or Ralf was high on the grid also, just becase they were light on the fuel. Maybe other issues were included in decision, like which tyre is better with low fuel or with havy load fuel.
But that is good, we have now much more interesting things to watch in qualifications. I would like if posible to see last 10 drivers to drive light on fuel, just to see what can they do on equal conditions, but that will obviously not gona happend. FIA alway makes changes to enable equal contest for all, and nobody's interest is to watch one driver to be always on top.

[flynfrog]

i truly feel qualify simply starts the race 10 laps earlier

i want to see whos car is the fastest not who is carrying less fuel go back to flying lap qualy

[DaveKillens]

I would love to see the old system where teams were allowed qualifying tires, engines, and could run with enough fuel for just three or four laps. When Montoya got the pole at Monza in his Williams a few years ago, that was one of the most exciting and electrifying things I have expereinced. I allows a completely different dimension in the drivers and teams to be displayed, and also set Formula One apart from many others.
Balls to the walls, run what you brung, and the only strategy is to go as quick as possible for just one lap.

[NickT]

i truly feel qualify simply starts the race 10 laps earlier

i want to see whos car is the fastest not who is carrying less fuel go back to flying lap qualy

Have to agree with you there, session 3 should be like 1 and 2. Sorry Dave, yes it was exciting to see the qualifying specials but they were way too expensive.

Lets make session 3 like 1 and 2 and allow the teams to fuel their cars anyway they like, after qualification.

[captainmorgan]

what do you guys think if they changed quali to a king-of-the-hill style contest, with drivers racing one on one, with winners going on to race against other winners until pole is determined? This way, if passing is still rare in F1, then the advantage of pole is still balanced by having to run longer than all the others.

[mini696]

The problem with adding any length or racing to qualifying is the engine/parc-ferme rules.