As drivers fear mayhem in the opening phase of qualifying and the shootout, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz suggest an alternative format.

As we have seen in previous years, the opening stage of Q1 and Q2, sometimes even Q3, can lead to some mighty problems as drivers slow down in the final corners of their out-lap in order to seek a clear space ahead, this is particularly problematic at tracks like the Red Bull Ring.

Having lost out in Canada after being impeded by Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly is especially concerned for the weekend ahead which essentially features two qualifying sessions, one for the race and another for the Sprint.

"It's always tricky," said the Frenchman, who failed to make it out of Q1 in Canada after being impeded by Sainz. "In Canada, it really impeded me and had a pretty big impact on our overall race weekend.

"As a driver, you always try to do your best," he added. "There are some tracks that are very easy to control the traffic, and others which are way more difficult. Montreal is one of these tracks which is tricky, Austria is going to be bad.

"I think on this specific track, everyone as a team, from drivers, engineers, to everyone that can help and support us inside the car to do a better job, will have to be on their top game because it's a short track. Everybody's trying to get gaps.

"You don't want to impede anyone and affect others," he said. "Sometimes it does penalise your entire weekend. It's not only just qualifying but from the moment you start 17th from the back of the grid, it just changes the entire philosophy of your race.

"It's going to be tricky," he warned. "Hopefully everyone can manage it in the best way they can."

Sitting alongside the Frenchman was the Montreal impeding culprit, Sainz, who has an interesting solution to the issue.

"Single-lap qualifying may be something to experiment with," said the Spaniard, "also maybe on sprint weekends to try, if it would work.

"I personally am a big fan of it, because I do like that feeling of suddenly having the whole track for you and having the pressure to perform in only one lap. That would be really good fun for us, I think for our sponsors and for everyone, but maybe for the TV it would be a bit boring for you.

"I don't know," he continued. "It depends on the technology, you also have to animate that single lap, if you can put a ghost car of the fastest lap. I think with the technology that we have nowadays something like that could be achievable. With the mini-sectors, with the ghost cars, with that kind of stuff that I think we should look into it."

"It is a topic every weekend, especially in short circuits," said Fernando Alonso. "There are a few options to improve this. One is single-lap qualifying, like in the past.

"That would be ideal, in my opinion," he admitted, "because only one car on track, it would get full TV coverage for that lap, for everyone's sponsors and things like that.

"That created a little bit of drama in case of weather changes in between qualifying, you could see in pole position different cars, different names. So that was, I think, my preferred option."

"Personally, I would be a big fan of just one-lap qualifying," agreed Valtteri Bottas, "so everyone does one lap via a random order or something. It's just my wish."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by elsiebc, 02/07/2023 21:53

"@ Chester Maybe they should get rid of 1 or 2 teams. There'll be more room on track and more money after they split it up. Maybe the top team and the bottom team should go, that way there will be closer racing. Of course, with less moving billboard space available that will raise sponsorship rates. It's a win/win/win for everybody involved... except for the fans but we don't matter."

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2. Posted by Chester, 29/06/2023 18:25

"What is it going to be like if they add 1-2 more teams?"

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3. Posted by Defiant, 29/06/2023 17:15

"Yes it's a little chaotic and you can lose out. These guys should be a little thankful that the whole field isn't out there for the full qually like the old days. Be thankful and get on with it. You're all in the same boat so it's fair any way you want to look at it. Equality of opportunity is what we want, not equality of outcome."

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Drivers fear qualifying traffic mayhem

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