Monterrey preview: Dawn of new era

New CART boss Chris Pook has pushed through format changes that have been welcomed by most of the drivers. Friday qualifying returns and earns the quickest driver not only a championship point, but a guaranteed front-row spot on the grid too. Two-group qualifying has been scrapped, meaning all the drivers will be out on the track at the same time. That erases the possibility of teams missing out on good grid positions just because they are drawn in a group running when the track is slower.

Britain's only Champ Car star Dario Franchitti is one driver who thinks the changes will be positive. "I'm sure some people will be complaining about the new qualifying procedures and some people will think they're great," he said. "I'm looking forward to that first qualifying session and I think it is only right that you get a point for being the fastest on Friday. I like what CART is doing - they are trying different things. It shows they are thinking about making the series better and trying to make progress."

As for the races, the fuel regulations have been loosened to avoid drivers having to run at 80 percent and turning events into conservation contests. Franchitti's team-mate Michael Andretti said: "I think that the way racing has been for the last few years has not been racing. If you're not driving 110 percent, that's not racing. Now we can go out and push and that will be better for all of us. People don't come out to watch a fuel conservation test."

For a full Champ Car preview, including interviews with Franchitti and Townsend Bell, see this week's AUTOSPORT magazine. Qualifying in Monterrey starts at 8.10pm (GMT).