Qualifying set for one final change?

By Nick Sparkes
May 6 2006

Rumours surrounding the paddock are saying that the final session of the all-new Knockout qualifying hour is set to get one final tweak, possibly even in time for next weeks Spanish Grand Prix. This comes after drivers, teams and F1 critic’s alike call to end the ‘burn off’ session.

Currently the final 10 drivers go into the last twenty-minute session carrying their race fuel and set-up. For the first fifteen minutes they lap the circuit endlessly burning off their race fuel before getting it to as low as possible, pitting for a new set of tyres and going for a quick lap moments before the chequared flag comes out. What people have criticised is the need to go out and waste fuel with cars lapping a couple of seconds off their quickest lap.

David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher and Jarno Trulli have all voiced their opinions and a need to change it to something less meaningless. In fact the GPDA will meet with team managers at Barcelona to discuss a possible change, with one of the ideas including a return to one lap qualifying for the final 10 runners, which even Bernie Ecclestone says could be in place within a matter of days. "If all the teams agree, it can be done from the next GP already." As Bernie pointed out, the teams need to ‘agree’, that would be a first...