2006 F1 Qualifying Sceme

[Matra et Alpine]

apparently Max M was also thinking about a Formula that would save energy/fuel. My suggestion also perfectly fits into that masterplan. We may end up by having the whole race decided by straws

Well at the height of Le Mans the index was an important part of the race too ( especially as it let Alpine win a few times )

[Jack_Bauer]

From www.planet-f1.com

The FIA have taken steps to close a loophole in the new qualifying system even before the first team has had the chance to exploit it.
March's Bahrain GP will be the first race weekend to use F1's new qualifying format. The Saturday afternoon session has been divided into three parts with the slowest six cars being eliminated after each of the first two, leaving just ten cars to contest the final segment.

Those ten cars though, will have to begin that 20-minute session with the same amount of fuel that they'll carry at the start of Sunday's grand prix.

However, some teams have voiced concerns over this as drivers can save fuel by going very slowly, which means, following qualifying, they'll be credited with more fuel than what they actually used.

The FIA has therefore taken steps to prevent this from happening, informing teams that only laps that are within a 110 percent of the driver's fastest time will be eligible for a fuel credit.

"The so-called 110 percent rule will ensure that drivers do not do very slow 'in' or 'out' laps in the third period of qualifying in an attempt to save fuel," a FIA spokesman told Autosport.

"If they are outside 110 percent of their own fastest lap, that lap will not count towards their fuel credit."

So the whole idea of all these changes to qualifying is that it is more entertaining and brings more fans to the sport on a Saturday afternoon, right? As far as I can tell even the die-hard fans (and possibly even the teams!) are gonna be slightly confused by the new rules to begin with, so I'd imagine the casual viewer will just be completely baffled by all the talk of 'fuel credits' and '110% rules' and will probably be completely turned off by the whole charade.

[Matra et Alpine]

well 110% is well known to long term F1 fans
But I dont' think it matters, this is a rule necessary to prevent abuse of the INTENT of the original rules. With it in place nobody will try to utliise the loop hole so no reason teh fans need even be AWARE of this rule.

This is typical F1. It is impossible to write rules for evey situations and F1 tacticians HAVE and will ALWAYS try to find benefit by "intepreting" the rules. SO the loop holes get closed an dnobody takes advatange and the original intent is restored.

[Jack_Bauer]

Following the confusion over starting positions at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the FIA have introduced clarifications to the qualifying procedure and the line up of cars on the grid for the San Marino GP 2006 onwards.

The procedure to be used for today's session in Melbourne however, remains unchanged.

From Imola onwards, the sessions will be run as previously in Bahrain and Malaysia, and today in Melbourne, with the six slowest cars being eliminated from qualifying at the end of each of the first two sessions. However, the times recorded will only be used in part to form the grid.

The changes have been made with the following goals in mind:


- To increase transparency in the decision making processes


- To reduce the cost of competing


- To improve the sporting spectacle

The FIA considers that the changes should have no negative impact on the safety profile of either races or qualifying sessions.

The grid will be now calculated as follows:

Positions 17 to 22:

A random selection device will be filled with balls marked with the race numbers of each car excluded after the first session. The machine will mix the balls for one minute at which point the status light on the selection machine will turn green. The first ball will then be selected. The car with the race number corresponding to the ball drawn first will be allocated start position 17. This procedure will be repeated every 30 seconds until the sixth and final ball is drawn for the car that will start in 22nd place on the grid. The status light will then show red.

There will then be a five minute break.

Positions 11 to 16:

Balls marked with the race numbers of each car excluded after the second qualifying session will be entered into the random selection device. The machine will mix the balls for one minute before the light turns green and the first ball is selected. The car with the race number corresponding to the ball drawn first will be allocated start position 11. This procedure will be repeated every 30 seconds until the sixth and final ball is drawn for the car that will start in 16th place on the grid. The status light will then show red.

There will then be a five minute break.

Positions 1 to 10:

Balls marked with the race numbers of all remaining cars will be entered into the random selection device. The machine will mix the balls for one minute before the light turns green and the first ball is selected. The car with the race number corresponding to the ball drawn first will be allocated pole position. This procedure will be repeated every 30 seconds until the tenth and final ball is drawn for the car that will start in 10th place on the grid.

Penalties for changing engines and refuelling allowances

In order to reduce confusion, penalties for changing engines will be combined with the selection of fuel for the race.

Extensive simulations have shown that the likelihood of a ball being selected by the random selection device decreases significantly with the mass of the ball. Before the start of qualifying, teams will be required to add ballast to the balls bearing the race numbers of their cars, with 1mg of ballast representing 1kg of fuel. The FIA will also add a further 10mg of ballast to each ball where the corresponding car has undergone an engine change in between the previous race and the start of qualifying. Aerodynamic profiling or alteration of the frictional coefficient of the balls is not permitted.

In order to provide an incentive to teams to provide entertainment during the final qualifying session, the FIA will remove 20mg of ballast from the ball corresponding to the car setting the fastest time in this session, 18 mg from the second fastest car and so on.

After the grid draw, fuel may be added to the cars in parc ferme based on the weights of the balls as provided by the teams at the start of the grid draw.

Timing change

Future qualifying sessions will now be run one hour earlier than previously stated in order to allow the grid draw to be shown live with minimal impact to television schedules. Once the results of the timed sessions are known, the ball selections will commence, typically at 14:00 local time to facilitate television coverage of the grid draw. (Max's note for removal before publication: For some strange reason which escapes me now, we picked 12:30 for the British GP, was this just because Bernie wanted to annoy those idiots at Silverstone?) Local celebrities will be encouraged to carry out the draw. Where the celebrity chosen is deemed not famous enough, a replacement celebrity may be substituted by FOM.

The FIA have also announced the addition of a major trade sponsor; LotteryBallsUp, manufacturers of gaming instruments. It is anticipated that LotteryBallsUp will also be allocated responsibility for race results for the 2008 season, although the FIA reserves the right to introduce this during the current season if a single manufacturer wins more than a certain percentage, yet to be announced, of race wins.

Rumours that LotteryBallsUp is co-owned by the wife of a senior FIA or FOM executive are said to be wide of the mark.

Happy April Fool's guys and gals!

[magracer]

Following the confusion over starting positions at the Malaysian Grand Prix...

That's so MUCH better now... Who would want to watch cars going around a track when we can watch ballots bouncing in a glass box!

Happy April Fool's to you too!

[Matra et Alpine]

Too late for Aprils FOol