Fia plan to alter qualifying for 2014

The FIA is planning to alter Formula One’s qualifying format to discourage drivers from sitting out of Q3. A meeting has been planned between the governing body and teams to discuss the planned changes.

Tyre saving has become a reason for driver to not take part in Q3, as they may be able to get a better starting stint in the race on fresh tyres.

Those drivers who get through to Q3 have to start the race on the tyres they set their fastest lap on in the session. This caused drivers to not take part in the final session, despite finishing in the top 10 in Q2. If a driver does not take part in Q3, they can choose any tyre to start on, which could be more beneficial than moving a few places up the grid.

This was particularly common with those who felt they could not improve past 10th, such as midfield teams.

Dissapointed fans on Saturdays is the driving force behind this issue being taken up, as they don’t get to see a full session of drivers pushing to their limits.

AUTOSPORT reports that variety of options are going to be discussed at the meeting.

Ideas include forcing drivers in Q3 to start the race using the tyres they set their fastest lap on, regardless of which session the lap was set in.

Another plan would allow tyres just for qualifying, which are not used in the race. Pirelli has said that they are happy to provide qualifying tyres if this approach is chosen.

Both these plans would give no advantage to drivers for sitting out on the final qualifying session.

If any change is to be made, there must be a unanimous vote from everybody in attendance, including all teams. Even if the vote is unanimous, it will not be put in place until the F1 Commission and FIA’s World Motor Sport Council sign off on the plan.

The meeting is set to take place at the next testing session in Bahrain, February 21.

The sport is in a complete unknown currently. The teams have only just begun to understand the new regulations & it's complexities. We have barely begun testing, you have Bernie shouting his mouth off about the stupid idea of double points, you now have the idea thrown in about mixing up qualifying. It's a mess in my opinion. Why are these ideas suddenly being thought of now? Why not in the winter, so they could be finalised & confirmed by the teams. Absolute joke. There's more to worry about in the sport than revamping qualifying.

I do agree John why wait so long. As soon as last season finished these plans (altering qualifying) should have been on the table. I am all for altering qualifying if it stops teams dodging final qualifying session to try to gain an advantage.Some times last season you'd only get 8 or even 7 cars just taking part in the last session - not good at all for the fans. It does need changed in my opinion. As for double points - nonsense. Seb calls it an 'absurd idea', the fans don't want it and neither to the vast majority of the teams but the despot wants them so they will happen.   

Think this is completely unnecesary right now and will only provide more problems the teams can quite do without.

Look at the problems Pirelli have had just getting the race tyres right. How long would they need to get qualifying tyres that are fit for purpose?

I agree that teams sitting out qualifying was a major problem at times in the last few seasons, but just lately we've had at least 7 or 8 cars setting times in Q3 most races. I wouldn't say its as much of a problem as its been in the past.

If they don't want people sitting out Q3, they could always go back to having one long quali session, like they used to...and enforce the 107% rule to prevent teams not running at all.

I always thought Formula 1 was supposed to be about the best of the best. There are too many gimmicks now including qualifying, double points, Kers, DRS etc

I would like to see a return to the old qualifying format but maybe reduce qualifying to 30 mins instead of an hour or maybe have two 30 minute qualifying sessions.