Bigpower

What are your thoughts on the new F1 qualifying format?

I've only just got my head around it and personally I feel that it's crap, if for no other reason than the last 4-5 minutes of Q3 might as well be scrapped as no fecker' bothers to go out.

As far as I can see drivers aren't able to do what they need to do due to that stupid 90 second elimination and it has made no difference to the front two rows on the grid anyway

Total crqp to be honest. Should just go back to what they had.

Yep, no-one likes it, but the FIA refuse to give them the option of reverting back to what worked in 2015. After a 90 minute debate today, the only options for China are:

Elimination format for Q1 and Q2, then 'old' style for Q3, or

Aggregate qualifying- where an average is taken of your two fastest laps in each session, or

Stick with the debacle we have now.

Clueless feckers' making decisions, that's the problem.

You watch, someone will come up with the idea of sticking bits of metal to the underside of the cars so that they make pretty sparks for the spectators (because apparently that's what we get excited about)

....oh wait....they've already done that

Shite.

I have an idea.... How about an hour in which the competitors can go out as often and for as long as they like, at the end of which whoever went quickest gets to line up first....

It might just work.

I like that idea ^^^^

Alternately they could just sit Bernie Ecclestone on a bar stool and take it in turns to whack golf balls at the arrogant little cnut for an hour....whoever scores the most hits gets pole and everyone else gets positioned on the grid accordingly

If we really must then 'double points' for a head shot prior to the last race of the season....job done

A thought just occured to me regarding this new qualifying's 90 second elimination shite.

Now we know how important getting pole 'can' be as far as winning the race, getting the points and ultimately being crownd World Champion at the end of the season. To that end setting the fastest time in Q3 is pretty bloody important I think.

Looking at a hypothetical scenario lets say that early on in Q3 Rosberg has set the fastest lap and is happy that he can't go any quicker so pits. A few minutes of Q3 remain and so it goes on. Hamilton is currently closest going 2nd fastest with Vettel 3rd and Raikkonen having achieved 4th.
The elimination clock is ticking down on Vettel, he can't go any quicker and pits accepting 3rd.
Now Hamilton on a new set of tyres is next on the 90 seconds hit list, he begins a flying lap.
First sector Hamilton takes a tenth out of Rosberg's time, Second sector Hamilton takes a further tenth out of Rosberg's time, the Third sector is looking epic and Hamilton is just about to cross the line when 'Boom!!' he is caught out by the 90 second clock and is eliminated a fraction before setting what is clearly shown by stats to be a superior lap time to Rosberg's best.

Rosberg maintains pole, Hamilton starts the race in second and that's how it finishes. If the points difference at the end of the season is so close that a single point seals it for Rosberg to be crowned champion 2016 I could see a legitimate claim from Hamilton that he got screwed by a shit new and totally unecessary qualifying format.

Totally hypothetical of course but not completely implausible.

Much as anyone wining in 2014 because of Double Points would have been.

At least quali back to normal now and the racing has been good this year, let's hope they don't dick with it further (except for scraping DRS... that's fine.).

I hear they're introducing square wheels and compulsory windscreen wipers for next year...