pfb

So my understanding is that the new qualifying rules allow a team to really move up on the grid... at the expense of fuel load. Since cars must start with the same fuel load (or is it remaining fuel?) as qualifying, a team that *really wants* a good grid position can run with an extremely light fuel load, then plan on a pit stop in the first few laps.

Seems like a great way for second and third tier teams to get some exposure...

jvils

Doesn't the fuel load thing refer to the race? Or do they have to start with the same load the qualified with? I just hope the new engines hold up. It would be awsome if Honda could put two cars in the points.

Triple-H

Now that I have seen the 1st application of the new rules I do have a statement or an opinion.

If you watched the final qualifying session you would have seen a scary situation that could have gotten a lot worse for Kimi Raikkonen. He ran the McLaren Mercedes slightly off track and came bouncing back onto the track. The end result was a rear tire deflating quickly. There was no definitive answer at the time if the tire went down and caused the off, or if the off caused the tire to go down.

The new rules mandate the cars get locked in (sp?) park ferme after qualifying and the teams can not touch them until just before the race the following morning. I will say right here and now, this is bad, very bad! And what makes it bad is the potential compromise in safety. The McLaren team will be able to replace that one tire but that is it. They can not work on the car until just before the race. They will have very little time to completely inspect it for potential damage to other components. That is wrong.

I understand the objective of the rule was to make sure nobody built a limited purpose qualifying machine and then rebuild it back into a dependable race car after qualifying, but compromising the safety of the driver and well as all the other drivers is not only wrong but stupid.

And to conclude, I would like to say that once again I was reminded why Michael Schumacher is a world champion. In his post qualifying interview he was given several opportunities to critique the new rules, and all he said were things like - we all are in the same situation, we need to wait to see how it works out before we can really evaluate it. And when asked about Kimi's situation you could tell he was dying to say something about the foolishness of a safety compromise, but only said something like we shall see afterwards how the race turns out.

Russ

1:23:565 yesterday in F1 2002.
Now, onto the 2nd session I taped last night!

Triple-H

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jvils
[B]Doesn't the fuel load thing refer to the race?

Triple-H

1- M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'27"173 218.999 Km/h 3
2- BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'27"418 + 0'00"245 3
3- MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'28"101 + 0'00"928 3
4- FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'28"274 + 0'01"101 3
5- PANIS Toyota M 1'28"288 + 0'01"115 3
6- VILLENEUVE BAR Honda B 1'28"420 + 0'01"247 3
7- HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'28"464 + 0'01"291 3
8- BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'28"682 + 0'01"509 3
9- R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'28"830 + 0'01"657 3
10- ALONSO Renault M 1'28"928 + 0'01"755 3
11- COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'29"105 + 0'01"932 3
12- TRULLI Renault M 1'29"136 + 0'01"963 3
13- FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'29"344 + 0'02"171 3
14- WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'29"367 + 0'02"194 3
15- RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'29"470 + 0'02"297 3
16- DA MATTA Toyota M 1'29"538 + 0'02"365 3
17- IRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'31"242 + 0'04"069 3
18- PIZZONIA Jaguar Cosworth M 1'31"723 + 0'04"550 3
19- VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 2 lap(s) 2
20- WILSON Minardi Cosworth B 2 lap(s) 2

honda606

The McLaren team will of course be allowed to replace the tire; HOWEVER, it MUST be a tire that has more wear on it than the damaged one being taken off the car.

That is one rule I really don't understand. So now they will have 3 good tires and 1 so-so tire if they end up blowing one, like Kimi did, in qualifying.

S2000 Driver

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Triple-H
[B][COLOR=red]1- M.SCHUMACHER