The format of the qualifications revised for 2014?
According to the German press, the teams have allegedly agreed to modify the qualifying format as early as this year, a measure that still needs to be validated by the FIA. This would notably help avoid seeing an empty track in Q3, with the granting of an additional set of tires for the drivers who qualify at the end of Q2.
Gathered in Bahrain at the end of last week for the second private testing session of the season, the eleven teams on the grid also took the opportunity to meet, discuss, and agree on a change to the qualifying session format, as we explained to you a few days ago.
According to *Auto Motor und Sport*, the teams have decided to revisit things to make qualifying more interesting and prevent drivers from staying in their garages during Q3. If an agreement has been reached among the 11 teams, the change still needs to be approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council to be effective from the Australian Grand Prix, which will take place from March 14 to 16.
If this measure passes, the first part of the qualifications (Q1) will be reduced from 20 to 18 minutes. The second part (Q2) will remain at 15 minutes, while the third and final part of the qualifications (Q3) will increase from 10 to 12 minutes.
But the major change is the allocation for the 16 cars qualified in Q2 of a set of the softest tires, but this set can only be used in Q3. Those who do not advance to Q3 can use it in the race, while those who advance to Q3 must use this set for their final lap time and will then return it to Pirelli at the end of the qualifying.
The 10 drivers present in Q3 will then start the race with tires from the same range as those used for their fastest lap set in Q2.
The aim of this measure is to ensure that all drivers in Q3 compete with the same tires and are not tempted to stay in their garage to save a set of tires for the race.
