I see FOTA have an idea for altering the qualifying procedure. While the present system definitely needs changing, I cannot help thinking that there must be more important things for the team managers to put their minds to. It seems to me that they should be building a strong defense against Max's proposed standard engine, rather than fiddling about with details of race procedures.
A cool photo of Mark Webber in the RBR 4
For what it is worth, however, FOTA's suggestion is an improvement on the strange three-part qualifying in place at the moment. The third stage, in particular, comes in for a lot of criticism, the insistence on race fuel loads resulting in grids that often have more to do with strategy than actual speed. And FOTA's idea does away with this, at least.
The plan is to have all the cars on the track at the same time, eliminating the slowest after each lap until only six are left. These would then have their own mini-qualifying session, the drivers retaining their fuel load but allowed to fit new tires. It is getting closer to what I have suggested all along, a return to the old system of a given number of laps, no restrictions on tires or fuel, and everyone trying for their quickest time.
The only thing that worries me is the elimination of the slowest driver after only one lap. That seems a bit harsh to me and I would prefer that they be given a few laps to warm up before the times begin to count. Those who throw it off the road are going to find themselves out straight away, of course, but it has always been best to keep the car on the black stuff if you're looking to set a decent time.
There might be some who suffer the misfortune of a mechanical failure but that usually means the end of your qualifying period even now - so not too much change there. And one understands the driving force behind the idea - to improve the show. The reasoning goes that it is always more interesting to have several cars on track rather than long periods of complete emptiness - and the show is all nowadays, it seems.
And I suppose that it would be quite entertaining, with tension mounting as drivers dropped out and the survivors trying to avoid that bad lap that puts them in the danger zone. It would be like a sprint race with a gradually shrinking field - almost a development of Martin Whitmarsh's suggestion of extra races on the qualifying Saturday. In fact, I would be prepared to bet that is where the idea came from; the evidence is there in the extras tagged on at the end: a championship point for pole and prize money as well (F1 is over-burdened with money these days, obviously).
So I am guardedly in favor of the change, being fully aware that the authorities are never likely to admit the error of their ways by going back to an older system, even if it worked well enough at the time. The problem will be that it is not Mosley's idea and stands little chance of being adopted, therefore. Historically, he allows these discussion groups to put forward ideas and then introduces some madness of his own.
Sometimes I wonder how long it will be before the teams realize that it is all about power as far as Max is concerned. He uses the same strategy year after year and the team managers never seem to get the hang of it. Round and round they go on the Max and Bernie carousel, paying the man with the tickets but never getting quite what they expected.
Funny way to run an international sport, isn't it?