FIA has approved the revamped qualifying format for Formula 1 to be implemented from the season opener in Australia in a fortnight’s time.
FIA has approved the revamped qualifying format for Formula 1 to be implemented from the season opener in Australia in a fortnight’s time. Earlier, it was pushed back to the 5th race of the season for technical reasons.
New F1 qualifying format approved by the FIA
In a statement, the FIA, the sport’s governing body, confirmed: ‘The World Motor Sport Council approved the new qualification format, the principles of which were unanimously accepted by the F1 Commission. The new system should be introduced for the first round of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship.’
What is the new format:
IT will be a three-stage qualifying as is currently with each session lasting 16, 15 and 14 minutes progressively which will be called Q1, Q2 and Q3 respectively.
What happens in Q1
After the first 7 minutes of running, the slowest driver is eliminated. Then every ninety seconds the current slowest driver is eliminated until only 15 remain on the grid as they see the chequered flag for Q1.
What happens in Q2
After the first 6 minutes of running, the slowest driver is eliminated. Then every ninety seconds the current slowest driver is eliminated until only 8 remain on the grid as they see the chequered flag for Q2.
What happens in Q3
After the first 5 minutes of running, the slowest driver is eliminated. Then every ninety seconds the current slowest driver is eliminated until we see the pole sitter for the race after the fastest amongst the last two fight it out for the best time on the clock.
What the driver have to say about the format?
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel said: “I’m personally not a fan of the new qualifying and I think speaking on behalf of all the drivers, no driver is. We don’t get what’s wrong with the old qualifying and why they had to change it.”
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton said: “I’ve generally enjoyed the qualifying we had for the last few years, so that’s why the changes we’ve made don’t make sense to me in my head right now.”
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