wanna911

Not giving away anything, but I really like the new qualifying format that takes some effort in time management. It was hilarious watching a guy dodge the cut line only to catch another guy out immediately and unexpectedly. ROFL. Made about 8 teams look like straight rookie squads.

This will lead to some guys missing out in qualy and starting further back in the pack than they otherwise would have and more passing. Qualy will also be much more exciting with everyone on track trying to dodge the cut line instead of sitting in the garage until the last 2 minutes or crawling around the track waiting for space.

I think it's brilliant. Qualifying is now my favorite for most exciting part of the weekend given the current tire management driving during the races we see.


Love it.

zedcat

Just watched on DVR. Didn't like it - early lap banking fine but then just clock watching. Need to see how teams tactics evolve. Seems the turnaround should be executed more like a pit stop to be on track before the 90 sec count down starts.

Veloce Raptor

Wait...F1 is going on? Pffttt

htron435

Not a fan. I understand the interesting new tactical elements, but I thought it was boring to watch.

Coochas

I liked it too. It was nice to see cars actually on the track in Q1.
I don't think that most of the teams properly modeled scenarios with respect to when their drivers should be out on track. That aspect really surprised me as they had the off-season to think about this.

So what, Lewis and Nico didn't spend the last two minutes on track trying to best each other. I had enough of that the past two years.

LuigiVampa

I didn't like it at all. At the very least let's make hot laps count, not just the last guy when time runs out.

Hobbs said it best - with everything wrong with F1 why did they feel the need to fix qualifying. It wasn't broken.

wanna911

I agree, Qualifying wasn't broken, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved. I think a couple of tweaks could make it better. Maybe allow the hot laps to count. MAYBE. And then in Q3 have the elimination stop at 5 minutes and keep the top 5 cars at that point. They will have time to pit, swap tires and get a hot lap going. Best of both worlds IMO.

The best part of Qualifying before was the last 2-3 minutes, the rest really wasn't that exciting at all. This is a much much more exciting format. Makes the strategists work a bit more.

It's hard to judge it properly when so many teams got it completely wrong. At the next race, once adjustments are made, I think we will see the full effect take place. Will be exciting. Moreso than the race I bet.

Veloce Raptor

There will be some rule changes on qualifying. Was a spectator disaster. No one on track for last three minutes of Q3 qualy! Just boring.

My993C2

I don't like it. Wait until Spa or any of the other tracks where a lap takes 2 minutes or more to complete. Remember Melbourne is one of the shorter laps and it was FUBARed. It will only get worse. Why all the gimmicks?

Al Pettee

Just when you thought F1 had bottomed out, and surely couldn't get any worse to watch, then qualifying..........What a freakin' disaster. And to think I stayed up until 3am ET (I'm in the eastern time zone) to tune in to this c----. Diffey, et al were even a bit miffed, and they are usually politic.

Coochas

This seems to be a polarizing point on the whole thing.
To me, it seemed like there were more cars on track most of the time than before. I never liked how the cars just sat in the pits for all but 1-2 laps in the old system. This new system forces them to drive more. I like that.

Then again, I don't feel like the old quail method was broken.

Astroman

Disagree. That was pathetic.

Matt Lane

Talk about unintended consequences.

Cars DQ'd on their hot laps, insufficient time to turn cars around for another timed run, impossible for spectators to follow without telemetry, 'strategy' for the sake of, well, I don't know what. Kinda like watching...

Matt Lane

BTW, we got the new Sky UK feed here in Canada for 2016.

Missed David Coulthard, but Martin Brundle, who I respect, was rightfully horrified.

Liked the candor and lack of Bernie ankle-grabbing.

M

rlm328

I'll start watching F1 again when Bernie is out of it.