Qualifying needs a change. Here's my idea
All that seems to matter right now is the last five minutes. I think we should make drivers go head-to-head.
With no on-track action during the seemingly never-ending winter break, it’s the perfect time to pull out some fresh ideas for Formula 1.
My thoughts right now dwell on qualifying. I think something needs to change.
We have had the same three-session knockout qualifying format since 2006 - and it’s getting repetitive and boring. Most of the time, Q1 and Q2 don’t really matter.
The only exciting bit is the final moments of Q3 - and that’s at most five minutes of an hour-long spectacle.
We need something new and - in the spirit of pitching in - I have an idea that I’d like to share.
I call it head-to-head qualifying - and it happens over two sessions.
First up is a simple 20-minute session on Friday that all drivers participate in. A “provisional qualifying order” is then determined by the fastest laps set during this session.
It’s the second session on a Saturday afternoon where things get spicy, where drivers go head-to-head in pairs.
The pairs would be determined by their position from Friday’s session. So 19th and 20th go up against each other, as do 17th and 18th, and so on, right up until 1st and 2nd.
Each pair is sent out 30 seconds apart and they both have one lap to produce their best performance.
Whoever does the quicker lap gets the higher place.
To me, it’s a beautiful hybrid of the knockout system and the old one-shot style used in the early 2000s.
I especially like that drivers would have to try their absolute best in both sessions. Right now, the frontrunners don’t have to push too hard in Q1 and Q2.
If we had my idea in place at the Abu Dhabi season finale, then, based on Q3 results, the top six would’ve been battles between teammates, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez fighting for the pole.
Now, I’ll be the first to say that, for some of you, this will be outrageously controversial.
Changing qualifying has historically been a fraught process.
Formula 1 abandoned changes in 2005 and 2016 following backlash from teams and fans. Sprint qualifying, first introduced in 2021, also hasn’t been the most popular idea.
For me, the main benefits of my idea are keeping fans more entertained, while also raising the profile of the drivers. Head-to-head puts more attention on drivers as individuals.
I think it will ratchet up more on-track rivalries. It will build the driver profiles. It will keep more fans engaged.
What do you think?
Should we shake up qualifying? Does my idea have legs? Could we petition the FIA?
Leave a comment below! Or vote in the poll!
More from Musings on Formula 1
Reflecting on the 2022 season:
Sebastian Vettel retires. His career in Formula 1 floundered during his turbulent years at Ferrari. But, now, people rightfully won’t remember him for that.
Mattia Binotto quits Ferrari. The Ferrari team boss has departed after four years. His decision came on the back of a season that was, by frontrunner standards, abysmal.
Max Verstappen, the double world champion. The Dutchman’s crowning in Japan was extraordinarily fitting. It was a near-perfect performance to finish off a near-perfect championship campaign.
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