[njfeedd3w]

A little early, but might as well combine next week's race with this bit of news:

The FIA is to be asked to consider introducing a one-off split qualifying session for next weekend's Monaco Grand Prix because of fears about traffic problems at the street event.

HRT's Bruno Senna, whose car will be one of the slowest in the field, has revealed that he plans to speak to FIA race director Charlie Whiting in Friday's drivers' briefing in Spain to put forward the idea of splitting the field up.


That would entail removing the frontrunners - who are all but guaranteed getting through Q1 – from the session entirely to minimise the possibility of a big name getting caught out or an accident taking place http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83341

Probably a sensible one-off decision, we'll see what comes of it this weekend.

[Soadiassy]

Bit undecided on this. A big part of me thinks it's unnecessary - if one of the big names gets unstuck then tough, people are always complaining that the grids aren't shaken up enough so this might be a way for it to happen without any silly artificial measures.

Now the part in the article that says "That would entail removing the frontrunners - who are all but guaranteed getting through Q1 – from the session entirely", it's a bit unfair maybe, but seeding qualifying has been done before in F1 at Monaco, in the late 50s, early 60s I believe, and NASCAR has their Top 35 rule too. I wouldn't have a HUGE problem with it providing it was done in a fair and transparent way, i.e. the top x drivers in the standings going into the Monaco race, rather than some arbitrary selection of the "big names" to give a free pass out of Q1.

I also appreciate this is an unprecedented situation of having this many cars with a performance gap in the current qualifying format (we've had more cars and slower cars in the past, but that was when it was an hour free for all on both Friday and Saturday)

But still, they are all grown men (even if only just in a few cases), and I say let them deal with it

[Ingeborga]

Drivers have coped with traffic before at Monaco, and there's no reason to change things in the way Bruno Senna is suggesting IMHO.

Taking the idea further, if anything overtaking will be far more difficult in the race, so why not remove those slower teams from the weekend entirely. That would make things easier wouldn't it

[Cofeeman]

The cars are significantly slower than they have been for many years, and we've already seen the slow teams causing problems in qualifying. Monaco is not the best track to be doing a flying lap on, and then discover a Lotus, or Virgin coasting along trying to get out of the others way. Looks like we more or less agree here guys, whats going on?

[Plaumpholavup]

The cars are significantly slower than they have been for many years, and we've already seen the slow teams causing problems in qualifying. Monaco is not the best track to be doing a flying lap on, and then discover a Lotus, or Virgin coasting along trying to get out of the others way. Looks like we more or less agree here guys, whats going on?

I agree some of the cars are way off pace, this one off could be better, however maybe they could allow longer q3 and q2's instead of giving them a pass, only allowing say not more than 5 cars in at a time or something, and so not taking away opportunity from anyone.

[Ingeborga]

Slower cars have always been part of the challenge of qualifying....or were when it was a recognised part of the skill set of a driver to find the space needed.

Exactly

Which sort of brings me onto the point about the blue flags. There was a time that they were a warning, 'a faster car is behind you', not an instruction.

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

I would like to see a one lap qualy a la 2003 for Monte Carlo, but then again I loved the one lap qualifying sessions.

[Drysnyaty]

I don't know what all the fuss is about.

30 cars used to take part in quali proper in the 80s and early 90s, and the time differences in between 1st and 30th wasnt too different to what I would expect 1st and 24th to be in 2010. plus remember car safety has improved since then. so I ask, what's the problem with that?

[xanonlinexan]

just give them 5 mins extra in the 1st session so they can get a lap in easier in the traffic

[Soadiassy]

Drivers have coped with traffic before at Monaco, and there's no reason to change things in the way Bruno Senna is suggesting IMHO.

Taking the idea further, if anything overtaking will be far more difficult in the race, so why not remove those slower teams from the weekend entirely. That would make things easier wouldn't it

Oh I do agree and I do find it a bit hypocritical that people within F1 (even more so than the fans) are whingeing that they need to "spice up the show" (god I HATE that phrase!) and considering WWF/T20-style crap to do so, yet are scared of a potential natural way to achieve this at Monaco, but IF they do go through with this I hope it's done in a straightforward way using the current points standings or something, rather than, say (for example using the current standings after China, even though they'll be different going into Monaco), giving Schumacher (currently 10th in points) a bye but not doing so for Sutil (currently 9th ahead of Schuey on best results countback), on account of MS being a "bigger name", as the article suggests.

[wmtravelservice]

In the days of a single hour qualifying session, there'd be a strategies employed so that drivers didn't face traffic. Surely making sure that your driver isn't impeded by traffic is all part of a race team's normal planning?

This idea is a complete nonsense. If someone's lap is upset because their team didn't plan for it, then that's their fault. If I go out in my Formula Ford for a qualifying session and I encounter traffic then that's tough bikkies.

Or are Formula One drivers a bunch of cotton wooled softies?

[Cucoulkrory]

The cars are significantly slower than they have been for many years, and we've already seen the slow teams causing problems in qualifying. Monaco is not the best track to be doing a flying lap on, and then discover a Lotus, or Virgin coasting along trying to get out of the others way. Looks like we more or less agree here guys, whats going on?

At first I was clearly in the Arrows camp and though the idea was ridiculous as backmarkers are always part of the sport. But the more I got to think about it the more I think senna's idea strangely makes sense.

but here are my issue
1. 6 cars running by themselves have an opportunity to stay out of trouble and avoid traffic qualms the other 18 cars would experience.
2. If something were to happen in the main qualy that made it impossible to improve ones time, then it would be an unfair advantage to the 6
3. the weather is a great equalizer as we have already seen. If it rains then there really is no telling who makes it to Q2 be it a lotus or a mclaren
4. If there was one track where a relatively slower car can sort of shine or make up time it would be at monaco. The issue would be less about speed and more aobut handling and bravado. I think the virgin might actually do well at monaco. I also think that kovy and trulli might push their cars well at the track as well.

so in the end I am against it, but won't go nuts if it does happen. I can see their thinking , but the time difference between 1st and 24th should not be as dramatic as in other races

[Cucoulkrory]

I agree some of the cars are way off pace, this one off could be better, however maybe they could allow longer q3 and q2's instead of giving them a pass, only allowing say not more than 5 cars in at a time or something, and so not taking away opportunity from anyone.

all sensible ideas and probably better than a split session.

I actually like the idea of running longer q1 session. They would just cut back a few minutes between the sessions to make up the time for the tv broadcast window.

funny how I'm posting about monaco even before spain.

[Cucoulkrory]

Exactly

Which sort of brings me onto the point about the blue flags. There was a time that they were a warning, 'a faster car is behind you', not an instruction.

that I would agree with. I think they are used to easy at tracks. It should only come out if it looks like the car is impeding the faster car not as a sign to get out of the way. And then of course, they have been wrong sometimes. its 2010 teams have radios to tell their driver to move over

[Cucoulkrory]

I would like to see a one lap qualy a la 2003 for Monte Carlo, but then again I loved the one lap qualifying sessions.

ugh, I despised them
to me it brought little to the entertainment of qualy and made sure that there would be an unbalanced sessions with varying conditions throughout the session

but to each his own.

[Byxtysaaqwuz]

No need to split Q1. MacLaren and Ferrari are probably sitting it out any way.

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

they need to "spice up the show" (god I HATE that phrase!)

So do I, bro. So do I...

[Ubgvuncd]

@CroftyF1 Just a bit of confirmation about qualifying in Monaco. According to my source Charlie Whiting has told the teams there will be no change

[njfeedd3w]

Simple enough then: the three new teams go out straight away, do a lap and park it, then the big boys come out. Not ideal but I can see it happening.

[Ingeborga]

@CroftyF1 Just a bit of confirmation about qualifying in Monaco. According to my source Charlie Whiting has told the teams there will be no change