Mark Webber on qualifying

[tommykl]

http://www.f1i.com/infos/webber-revenon ... s-de-1950/

For the vast majority of you who don't speak French, the gist of this article is that Mark Webber not only doesn't like the elimination qualifying system and the waffling around it, he didn't like the previous two systems either (ie. Q1-Q2-Q3 and single-lap). He thinks that those systems puts too much attention on "the slowest drivers", and that we "shouldn't waste so much time on the likes of Pérez, Hülkenberg and Gutiérrez". Which is, of course, blasphemy and patently untrue.

But also, he advocates for a return to "the format we had from the very start of the championship", which he describes as "one single 60-minute session with four sets of tyres reserved for each driver". To which I reply that that particular system was a) only in use from 1996 to 2002 and b) made for boring sessions with long periods of zero on-track action.

He may have been my favourite driver when he was racing, but he's just talking a whole load of shite here.

[AustralianStig]

Webber will always remain a driver I'm fiercely loyal to, and I loved watching him on track and reading his autobiography. But I'll always cringe whenever he's dismissive of drivers that aren't battling for the top 5. He needs to remember that he was once a backmarker too.

My latest idea on making quali less predictable, more on raw pace and slightly more weighted towards luck:

Drivers may only record one flying lap per Q1/2/3. Drivers may do as many 'sighter' laps as they like, however may not change tyres during each session (may change them between sessions). This means drivers only get a small window of opportunity to judge the conditions, find their brake marks and set a flying lap. If a driver makes a mistake on his flying lap, he must complete the lap or he will not have a time recorded for the session.
Sessions wouldn't need to be as long. Maybe 12 mins for Q1, 10 for Q2 and 8 for Q3, which pleases the instant gratification generation. You'll get way more shouting on the radio at engineers for not finding a clear lap, and it's a system everyone understands.

Either that, or just go back to the one-lap shootout.

[CoopsII]

I never realised he was so fluent in French....

[dr-baker]

Using Mark Webber's argument, why not revert back to the very original system of random draws for the grid? It'll please Bernie because it'll lead to mixed up grids.

[watka]

The only way to have guaranteed non-stop action is the one-lap system. The Q1-Q2-Q3 system we've had in recent years did a pretty good job of getting close to that whilst having more than one car on track at once. The 60-minute sessions were almost always (weather permitting) decided in the last 5 minutes which gave us a huge amount of time with nothing happening.

I honestly cannot think of a system that I would be confident of working better than the Q1-Q2-Q3 system we had before this season. The Superleague Formula qualifying rules always struck me as interesting; a mix between short session qualifying and one lap knockout qualifying that would push the drivers hard. But I understand that not everyone is a fan of one lap qualifying.

[Wallio]

Mark Webber on qualifying: "I love it, there's no standing starts!"


Seriously, for someone who drove for shite teams the vast majority of his career, his words are blasphemous. While I know he's a quasi deity on here, I have to say it: Go Home Mark Webber!

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

Did Webber really mention Pérez, Hülkenberg and Gutiérrez by name? If so, that's a shite thing to do.

Also, qualifying should focus equally on all of the cars, because that's what is fair. It also might be the only time all weekend some teams get their sponsors any airtime.

[WeirdKerr]

I agree with bringing back the 60 minute free for all Format but with a few tweeks (applying to dry sessions only)
4 Sets of tyres but you loose a set Every 15 minutes
Each driver gets 20 laps (up from the old 12) and if you don't go out within the first 20 minutes you loose half your laps
other than that it is back to the 1996- 2002 system

[Aislabie]

For me, the ideal format would be a little different, and would allow scope for many smaller teams to enter the sport and get sponsor time, even if they're a bit... Colonial.

Friday Pre-Qualifying
A three-hour session to allow time for race simulations and free-practice, but in the case of more cars entered than spaces on the race grid, only those cars with the fastest 20, or 26, or however many cars are allowed on the grid, are allowed to proceed to the rest of the weekend.

In the case of a truly dreadful team, they can still secure sponsor time by circulating for long periods of this three-hour session.

Saturday Qualifying
A 25%-length race (so, 19 or 20 laps at Melbourne) where the drivers start on random-drawn grids. They can run whatever tyre and fuel strategies they feel like. This should allow spectators to watch entertaining, though manufactured, racing where Hamilton or Rosberg or Vettel or someone has to wrestle their way through the Manors and Saubers, but without the manufactured racing directly influencing the Championship. Cars that DNF in qualifying must start the race from the pit lane (again, raising the prospect of a Hamilton or Rosberg or Vettel fighting through the field in...)

Sunday Race
Keep it as is really, and move the Spanish Grand Prix to Aragon ASAP.

[FullMetalJack]

http://www.f1i.com/infos/webber-revenons-aux-qualifs-de-1950/

For the vast majority of you who don't speak French, the gist of this article is that Mark Webber not only doesn't like the elimination qualifying system and the waffling around it, he didn't like the previous two systems either (ie. Q1-Q2-Q3 and single-lap).

It does surprise me somewhat that he didn't like the single lap format either. Particularly because he was arguably the best qualifier around back when that format was used, aside from possibly Jarno Trulli.

[CoopsII]

Seriously, for someone who drove for shite teams the vast majority of his career, his words are blasphemous. While I know he's a quasi deity on here, I have to say it: Go Home Mark Webber!

Agreed. I just made a time machine and went back to 2002 just to tell a reporter (in French) that we shoudn't waste so much time on the likes of Webber. Just Webber. Then I went forward in time a bit to laugh my bollocks off at him for not winning the title. And then I gave Vettel a tenner and said I'd changed my mind, he was OK in my book.

[DanielPT]

Seriously, for someone who drove for shite teams the vast majority of his career, his words are blasphemous. While I know he's a quasi deity on here, I have to say it: Go Home Mark Webber!

Agreed. I just made a time machine and went back to 2002 just to tell a reporter (in French) that we shoudn't waste so much time on the likes of Webber. Just Webber. Then I went forward in time a bit to laugh my bollocks off at him for not winning the title. And then I gave Vettel a tenner and said I'd changed my mind, he was OK in my book.

Shame on you. You could at least have warned Schumacher to stop skying as it is dangerous. And sabotage the Sauber before the Japanese GP to prevent Bianchi making the grid.

Oh, and prevent 9/11, Paris, Bruxelles and the invasion of Iraq.

[CoopsII]

Shame on you. You could at least have warned Schumacher to stop skying as it is dangerous. And sabotage the Sauber before the Japanese GP to prevent him to make the grid.

Oh, and prevent 9/11, Paris, Bruxelles and the invasion of Iraq.

Erm. Try to keep it light DPT and avoid references to events that involved the deaths of thousands of people in particular.

[DanielPT]

Shame on you. You could at least have warned Schumacher to stop skying as it is dangerous. And sabotage the Sauber before the Japanese GP to prevent him to make the grid.

Oh, and prevent 9/11, Paris, Bruxelles and the invasion of Iraq.

Erm. Try to keep it light DPT and avoid references to events that involved the deaths of thousands of people in particular.

Not the same thing. Far from it actually...

[tommykl]

Shame on you. You could at least have warned Schumacher to stop skying as it is dangerous. And sabotage the Sauber before the Japanese GP to prevent him to make the grid.

Oh, and prevent 9/11, Paris, Bruxelles and the invasion of Iraq.

Erm. Try to keep it light DPT and avoid references to events that involved the deaths of thousands of people in particular.

Not the same thing. Far from it actually...

Also, I'm fairly sure 9/11 happened before 2002...

[Wallio]

Well that escalated quickly.

I for one would have just gone back and prevented the awful one tyre rules in 2005. But that's just me.

[CoopsII]

Just to make it clear and prevent a long running discussion on Things To Do With Time Travel; I have no time machine.

There.

April fool.

Or not.

[Wallio]

Just to make it clear and prevent a long running discussion on Things To Do With Time Travel; I have no time machine.

[dr-baker]

With a time machine, I might go back to the night before my final half term in sixth form, halfway through A-levels. For personal reasons...

[Aguaman]

It doesn't seem like Webber to say that. Maybe a French sabotage?

But seriously if I had a time machine to fix up any F1 Event. I would stop the red flag in the 2007 European Grand Prix or given Di Resta a personality.

I wouldn't have wasted my time machine on F1 though.

[Enforcer]

But also, he advocates for a return to "the format we had from the very start of the championship", which he describes as "one single 60-minute session with four sets of tyres reserved for each driver". To which I reply that that particular system was a) only in use from 1996 to 2002 and b) made for boring sessions with long periods of zero on-track action.

I actually would like to go back to this system, just with a shorter session, 30-40 minutes lets say, so the 20 minutes of nothing followed by another 10 minutes of only the slowest four cars would be eliminated or substantially reduced.

Also, someone didn't play enough GP2 when he was little and has forgotten about the era of Friday & Saturday qualy.

[AustralianStig]

It doesn't seem like Webber to say that. Maybe a French sabotage?

Unfortunately, it does seem like Webber to say that. You only have to listen to him commentate to hear his total lack of respect for any driver that he thinks doesn't deserve a race seat.
One the one hand it's refreshing to have someone who will speak his mind...on the other hand, it's embarrassing that he's one of my favourite drivers talking so negatively about other drivers.

[AndreaModa]

It doesn't seem like Webber to say that. Maybe a French sabotage?

Unfortunately, it does seem like Webber to say that. You only have to listen to him commentate to hear his total lack of respect for any driver that he thinks doesn't deserve a race seat.
One the one hand it's refreshing to have someone who will speak his mind...on the other hand, it's embarrassing that he's one of my favourite drivers talking so negatively about other drivers.

He had a bit of a moan post-race on C4 about there being too much tyre management in the race. Feel like saying "okay Mark, you've had your say, sit back down and just accept this is the way it is and enjoy it for what it is!".