Are the tyres killing pole shoot out?

[John S]

Only 2 cars trying 2 runs in Shanghai final Quali is really Pants.           

It seems that preserving tyres for the race itself has become more important than going balls out for pole, from Paddy Lowe's comments below and the dismal one run efforts of most top ten runners it's hard to think otherwise. What are the powers that be going to do to stop the status and pride of pole position being eroded?  More to the point when are we going to get the nail biting tension back in the pole shoot out?  

McLaren’s technical director Paddy Lowe says Hamilton has some fast learning to do after running out of tyres during the Malaysian grand prix last week.

"How you use the tyres in qualifying has a big consequence on your race result, which we saw to Lewis’ cost," Lowe said in China.

"Crucial phases of the race where he lost out were a consequence of tyre consumption that he had done in qualifying so (it’s a) great spectacle I think and a job for us to manage it well," he added.

Nextgen-auto.com, Today.

[Dare]

might as well go back to 1 lap qualifying at this rate

[Scott]

Yeah, I had to drive the kids around this morning, and when I checked the timing it said everyone was in the pits.  I thought it had to be on demo mode, but it wasn't.  I don't like that they are trying to save tires for the race at all.  I doubt the broadcasters will be thrilled for very long if the Q sessions simply become 4-5minutes of cars on track.

[Jericoke]

There are solutions:

More tires per race

Eliminate the rule requiring starting on q3 tires

Award points for qualifying (I've generally opposed this idea in the past, as getting the pole used to be reward enough, but if it makes things interesting, I'm all for it)

Get rid of this parc ferme crap.  Qualifying trim on Saturday, race trim on Sunday.  I don't see how it saves money.  Surely the expense is flying your crew over for the weekend and putting them up in a hotel, not spending 3 hours doing what they signed up for in the first place.

[Scott]

More tires per race

Eliminate the rule requiring starting on q3 tires

I like these two best

[Williamsfan]

I agree with the two you picked out there Scott, both make sense and would increase the action in qualifying massively.  Good calls Jeri!

[Alianora La Canta]

Get rid of this parc ferme.  Qualifying trim on Saturday, race trim on Sunday.  I don't see how it saves money.  Surely the expense is flying your crew over for the weekend and putting them up in a hotel, not spending 3 hours doing what they signed up for in the first place.

Jeri, parc fermé wasn't primarily there to cut down on hours spent working on the car, though that was touted as a secondary effect that the FIA appreciated. The main reason was to stop the practise of putting on fast-but-fragile components that were only ever meant to do qualifying and then replacing them with slower-but-better-enduring components for the race. Having two lots of different bodywork per car is considerably more expensive than one, not only because of the cost of making the bodywork but the R&D needed to have two solutions to very similar problems.

[Andy B]

How about the softer the tyre the more you get?
Quali is going/has become boring!!

[lkjohnson1950]

I think if Lewis thought he had a legitimate shot at the pole he would have gone out again, but he knew Vettel was unreachable so he choose to save tires. How about qually only tires. Doesn't matter if they're hard or soft, everybody gets 3 sets Sat. morning, and they are collected right after qually.

Lonny

[Scott]

Pirelli suggested you could do China with one stop...can you imagine the carnage if teams had tried that today?  Cars would have been running on their rims.

[Canada Darrell™]

Pirelli suggested you could do China with one stop...can you imagine the carnage if teams had tried that today?  Cars would have been running on their rims.

Too true! They may have sugggested it but the drivers would have had to push their cars over the line.

[Williamsfan]

Pirelli suggested you could do China with one stop...can you imagine the carnage if teams had tried that today?  Cars would have been running on their rims.

Maybe Pirelli favour carnage and so wanted that exact scenario?  Still, the tyres are turning out to be great at the moment.  I would be happy if Pirelli stopped tyre development right now and left them as they are!  Really exciting last couple of races.

[lkjohnson1950]

Pirelli was expecting higher temperatures, which allow the tires to last longer. I wish they could keep the wear but lose some of the marbles.

Lonny

[Canada Darrell™]

After China I say screw qualifying altogether and invert the field next race according to where you finished the previous race!!! So winner starts last etc etc

 

[John S]

After China I say screw qualifying altogether and invert the field next race according to where you finished the previous race!!! So winner starts last etc etc

 

If you want an massive shunt at the first corner every race I'd say that's the best the route to go.    
I think they would have to change to a rolling start with an inverted grid and that's not F1.