Dennis Predicts More Qualifying Change

The old aggregate system, with a final session on Sunday, was scrapped after last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

The Nurburgring circuit today saw the new format put to use for the first time this season as qualifying changed once again.

The return to a single Saturday lap should make the tactical battle more intriguing with all teams having to qualify immediately on different fuel levels.

Dennis, however, has predicted the current format is just temporary and has also called for the new system to be defined in time to make the required changes to their cars.

"I do believe that qualifying will change for next year," said Dennis.

"I would say the teams need to know certain elements of qualifying within a month, four to eight weeks, mainly because we need to start determining the size of our fuel tanks for next year and that is very often linked to qualifying.

"We don't need the whole definition of qualifying but we do need to define those elements that impact on fuel tanks."

All 10 teams must agree unanimously for any change to take place, and Dennis was unsure a decision would be taken in time to prepare properly. 

"I think there will be dialogue, but whether it will fit in that timeframe we will have to see," he added. "I think everyone wants qualifying to be better, that is for sure. Our primary target is a complete overhaul of Grand Prix racing for 2008, looking at the whole picture and how we make it a better spectacle.

"At that sort of range, nobody resists change. The moment we define 2008 there are some elements we can bring forward. The most important one is qualifying, but it would be premature to share all the ideas."

Holding a second session on Sunday morning was unpopular with broadcasters and left the identity of the driver on pole position unknown until the morning of the race.

Dennis suggested he would support more action in the morning on race day, but ruled out a return to Sunday qualifying.

"My first priority for changing it is to stay in bed a bit longer," Dennis joked. "No, obviously the GP2 have a sprint race so the people have something to watch and to televise.

"It is not the role of the teams to fill that gap, it is the role of the promoter. We advocate more entertainment on a Sunday and we would certainly be supportive of it."