Weight Question

[FLC]

In addition to scrutineering, cars are also weighed throughout the Grand Prix weekend to ensure that they comply with minimum weight requirements (currently 600kg including driver, except during qualifying when it is 605kg). During practice and qualifying cars are called in at random to be weighed. After the race every car and driver is weighed.

Why is the min. weight higher in qualifying? ballast? fuel?

[vyselegend]

Maybe it's just that the tolerance is raised after the race, when it is well known that tyres have lost some gum and cars might have lost little part also in contacts.

Then, if I remember correctly, during a GP the driver can loose up to 2 liters of water, while he emptied his bottle too.

In the light of this, I'd say the normal weight is 605 kg, but they have to be tolerant about the potential losses during a Grand Prix event.

[RH1300S]

I am reasonably sure it has something to do with wear and tear on the cars.

The race limit is lowered to give some leeway for losses of material due to wear of brakes - tyres (paint ) etc.

EDIT: Reminder to self - read other posts before opening mouth

[countersteer]

I understood it was a holdover from the "good" old days of open qualifying, that is 12 total laps, winner take all. The 5 kg extra was there to stop the practice of running the car so light that it would run out of fuel and stop on the cool down lap leading to all sorts of drama with tow trucks, etc. etc.. Of course, this would have to be clarifed in the rules as fuel can't be ballast.
Just my $0.02.