Analysis: Qualifying Still a Headache for F1

Formula One's new-look Sunday morning qualifying promises to give ticket-holding fans more for their money on race day.

It could be a turn-off for others, however, and there is already concern about the reaction of television viewers once the season starts on March 6.

Some European broadcasters fear a drop off on Saturday afternoons, since the starting grid will not be decided then, and not much of an audience on Sunday morning when people often have social engagements.

Churchgoers, Sunday footballers, mums and dads spending quality time with their children - you name it but none of them are likely to alter their weekend schedules just so they can watch live qualifying.

With race day tickets to the exclusive Paddock Club costing 1,500 euros ($1,985) in Europe and up to 2,500 elsewhere, VIPs will have more reason than ever to get to the track early.

However, the regular Sunday morning pitlane walkabouts, a big draw for many of those handing over such considerable sums, could also be shortened. There has already been speculation, fuelled more by wishful thinking than any hard evidence, that qualifying could be overhauled before the first race in Australia.

Even if there would be a sense of deja-vu in that, since Formula One spent much of last year tweaking the format after starting out with one that was boring and too long, the probability is that immediate action is unlikely.

No Change

Team boss Frank Williams said last week that while the system could be altered, he doubted there was sufficient will to do so. That would depend on FIA president Max Mosley and Formula One's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

"If Bernie knew Formula One must have a change he'd make a lot of noise about it and probably achieve what he wanted," said Williams. "At the end of the day we look to Bernie in anything to do with television."

The governing body has certainly not suggested that it sees any need to mess about with measures accepted only a month or two ago.

The Sunday morning brainwave emerged after the Saturday session in Japan last year was blown out by a typhoon and the subsequent decision to squeeze everything into one day was deemed a success.

"I think actually it's not a bad system," said Toyota technical director Mike Gascoyne. "You've just got to manage it so it provides a good show for TV, which is important.

"I quite like the idea of the two (aggregated) sessions. I do think you need something to happen on Sunday for the crowds that are there. The problem you've got is that on Saturday everyone is used to knowing what the grid's going to be and they're not going to at the moment."

Big Advantage

There is also concern that the system favours the likes of champions Ferrari, by allowing the winner of the previous race to go out last in Saturday's session when track conditions are usually at their best.

"There has been discussion about the qualifying. It is difficult to satisfy everybody. Whatever you do is wrong," said Ecclestone last month.

"But one of the biggest problems we've got at the moment is that the big advantage in qualifying is if you can run last... the current regulation that we've got provides that always the winner of the previous race will start last. The fastest person in that Saturday qualifying will start last.

"Whether we can change it or not I don't know. It needs unanimous agreement and maybe Ferrari think they are going to be quick and if they do they probably won't want to change it."

Minardi's Paul Stoddart said the issue would certainly be discussed at a meeting later this month.

"There's been so much talk about qualifying, I think we need to wait and see what happens in the next team principals' meeting," he said.

"It will be discussed I'm sure. But if we do change it, it has to be done in conjunction with an agreement stating categorically that we won't change it again."