27/06/2011
NEWS STORY
Pirelli is seeking a change to the qualifying rules in order to prevent the session becoming anti-climatic.
Even ahead of Saturday's session, the Italian manufacturer's motorsport boss Paul Hembery was suggesting that the FIA tweak the rule whereby drivers who opt not to run in Q3 are given a free choice as to what tyres they start the race on.
Lo and behold, a couple of hours later Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil did just that, sitting out the final phase of the session and thereby being free to choose what tyres to start the race on having saved a brand new set of options into the bargain.
Aware that more and more drivers could choose this option, and at a time when others are 'settling' for their first time posted in Q3, Pirelli, fearing that the final phase could become an anti-climax, is calling on the FIA to act.
Hembery has suggested that those drivers who opt not to run in Q3 should be forced to use the set of tyres used to post their fastest time in Q2, said drivers thereby losing any advantage gained by not running in the final phase other than still having a 'saved' set.
It is understood the move has already been discussed with the F1 Commission and will now be put to the Sporting Working Group for an official vote.
Previously, in Monaco, Michael Schumacher was unable to run in Q3 leaving teams unsure of how the rules stood. When it was decreed that the German had a free choice going into next day's race the flood gates were essentially opened.