The new Qualifying format will be pretty exciting

By Nick Sparkes
February 4 2006

Mike Gascoyne is looking forward to the new qualifying format, which he expects to be "pretty exciting". The knockout-qualifying layout will result in three sessions, seeing race fuel used for the third. This will put added pressure on the teams, and more excitement for the viewer.

But like with the old 1 hour, 12 lap format, mistakes and yellow flags will play a factor during the final few minutes, especially at places like Monaco.

"I think it will be pretty exciting, we've got the first two sessions where we have to go out and do a time, and in the third we're going to want to be out lapping because we want to bring the fuel level down." Gascoyne explained. "And then with two minutes to go, everyone's going to be diving into the pits for quick tyre changes."

Mike went on to say, "When we complete the second session we've got to get the cars in and refuel them, as we go out for the last session we have to have what is effectively the race fuel load. There's going to be quite a bit of action, because it will be important to be the first car out to complete the maximum number of laps and get the fuel level down."