Formula 1™ - The Dream Scenario

In this three part series of articles, our Chief Formula One writer gives his thoughts on a radical shake-up of the Formula One™, beginning the contentious issue of the qualifying system.

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It may not have escaped your attention, but there is much being made of the quandary Formula One™ has found itself in over these past few weeks. There are many issues within the sport that need to be resolved urgently and while the cracks run deep, papering them over via eleventh hour changes to the qualifying system is not going to fix the sport in the long run.

Formula One without politics is like a Christmas dinner without turkey – the two just seem to go together and are a necessary evil. Sadly, the recent weeks have seen politics grab the headlines more than the racing and have added yet more mileage in the distance between the sport and its most important ingredient - us lot, the fans.

We are the ones who buy the tickets over a race weekend, the ones who buy the products advertised on the side of the cars and tracks. Without us, there is no Formula One. Hell, there’s no motorsport. Period.

Yes F1™ is seen as the most technically advanced form of racing, but really, when all is said and done, do we give a hoot what ‘spec’ of ‘Hybrid Turbo’ engine is being used? Do we care about the fuel capacity limits? I for one couldn’t give a ‘Mansell’s moustache’ about that kind of thing. I want to turn on the television every fortnight and see the best single seater drivers racing hard; engines at full song; cars that look and sound fast; driving on the best circuits; and, of course, packed grandstands are always a bonus. But the overall thing I want to feel is that I am watching drivers do things in a car I couldn’t possibly dream of doing. I want to watch gladiators, knights of the realm, going into battle and pushing each other to a limit I can only dream of.

So, over the next three articles, I am going to lay out my blueprint on how I would run F1™. Some readers may agree, some perhaps not. In the end, I hope to garner debate with my ‘vision’ and as long as it does that, I’ll tick the boxes.

There are many facets I could begin with, yet for the sake of ease, let’s take the most recent headline-grabbing aspects of the sport and see what ‘the ultimate’ could entail – qualifying.

Yes much has been made of the recent return to the 2006-2015 format following the pre-Australian GP failure (courtesy of Bernie Ecclestone’s insistance for mixed up grids) but the following is simply how I would like to see Saturdays pan out in the future. Furthermore, it might, just might, appease us all – fans, drivers, promoters and teams. Well, maybe not all of them all the time anyway…

Let’s cut to the chase here; the days of ‘special qualy tyres’, engines tuned up, balls-out flying single laps are but a distant memory but what if they were to return? What could we see? Nowadays, the viewing public and promoters want action. So let’s give it to them…

Fridays:

The current two Free Practice sessions would be replaced by a single 90 minute session run in the afternoon but with various other on and off track activities to give something different for the fans in attendance. Perhaps a celebrity race at each round with national celebrities competing each time (people will relate to them) plus the opportunity for fans to meet drivers, maybe win a seat in one such race?... A properly organised ‘feeder’ series of races could be run also (think NASCAR’s Busch Cars and Trucks) where future F1™ drivers can ply their craft in front of the very people they are trying to gain the attentions of.

Saturdays:

The morning session would remain ‘as you were’ but in replacement of the usual qualifying hour, I propose several races to determine grid positions for the race...

With all drivers split into four groups and a final, ‘Pole Position Shootout’ consisting of a final eight drivers.

So, how would this work?

In keeping with my ‘get the fans more involved’ desire, the fans themselves will be given the chance to cast a vote for the driver they wish to support for each race weekend and be in with a chance of winning a guaranteed ‘meet your driver’ prize. The voting would be run between the start of Free Practice one and close 30 minutes prior to the qualifying session on Saturday with a popularity table being produced and the drivers positioned first to 22nd according to the number of votes they receive. Fans will be able to vote via the F1™ website (only one vote per person and they must be registered – doing this could additionally result in teams and their sponsors being able to send e-marketing as an option...) and the results of the vote announced live on television and online, amid much fanfare.

There would then be a total of four groups with two groups of six and five respectively. Once the results of the vote are in, the drivers would be placed in their respective group:

17th – 22nd most popular = Group 1

11th – 16th most popular = Group 2

6th – 10th most popular = Group 3

1st – 5th most popular = Group 4

Bernie Ecclestone’s desire for mixed up grids is also appeased here as only the top two finishers from each race will proceed into the ‘Pole Position Shoot-out’. Curious to know how this might look? Well, let’s imagine that Lewis Hamilton is not quite as popular as he thinks he is. We might say that he only finishes in 11th place in the popularity standings in Fernando Alonso’s backyard for the Spanish Grand Prix. This would mean he lines up in Group two, perhaps just ahead of Max Verstappen, Romain Grosjean, Nico Rosberg, Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen. Thus, we have the tantalising prospect that after four laps of racing, maybe a sole Mercedes driver makes it far enough to claim a potential pole position with the other starting somewhere between ninth and 22nd.

For arguments sake, let’s pretend that the results of some of the group races look like this:

Group 1 Results: Race Distance = 4 laps

1st J Palmer - Renault - 6m26.246s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

2nd E Gutierrez - Haas - 6m27.876s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

3rd R Haryanto - Manor - 6m 27.110s 4th P Wehrlein - Manor - 6m 27.120s

5th C Sainz Jnr - Toro Rosso - 6m 28.332s

6th N Hulkenberg - Force India - Ret (crash)

Group 2 Results: Race Distance = 4 laps

1st L Hamilton - Mercedes - 6m24.345s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

2nd M Verstappen - Toro Rosso - 6m25.987s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

3rd R Grosjean - Haas - 6m 26.102s 4th N Rosberg - Mercedes - 6m 26.110s

5th F Massa - Williams - 6m 31.332s

6th K Magnussen - Renault - 6m 38.122s

Group 3 Results: Race Distance = 4 laps

1st F Alonso - McLaren - 6m25.345s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

2nd M Ericsson - Sauber - 6m25.977s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

3rd J Button - McLaren - 6m 27.102s 4th V Bottas - Williams - 6m 28.110s

5th D Kvyat - Red Bull - 6m 28.332s

Group 4 Results: Race Distance = 4 laps

1st S Vettel - Ferrari - 6m25.717s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

2nd F Nasr - Sauber - 6m27.971s >>> Into Pole Position Shoot-out...

3rd K Räikkönen - Ferrari - 6m 28.109s 4th D Ricciardo - Red Bull - 6m 28.885s

5th S Perez - Force India - 6m 28.991s

As you can see, suddenly we have but a sole Mercedes, Ferrari, Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, Haas and both Saubers into the ‘Pole Position Shootout’ with the remaining drivers left to fight it out for the lower positions on the grid. Mixed up grids you desire Bernie? Then mixed up grids you shall have...

So, how do the drivers outside the shoot-out decide their places on the starting grid? Simple, their total race distance for the group race they participated in determines their starting place in another five lap sprint. Wherever they finish that race, they start on Sunday. For arguments sake, let’s pretend that the ‘Pre-Pole Shoot-Out’ race has been run and the results for ninth to 22nd position of the grid are settled. They might just look a little like this:

9th - D Ricciardo Red Bull

10th - R Grosjean Haas

11th - K Räikkönen Ferrari

12th - J Button McLaren

13th - N Hulkenberg Force India

14th - V Bottas Williams

15th - F Massa Williams

16th - N Rosberg Mercedes

17th - C Sainz Jnr Toro Rosso

18th - K Magnussen Renault

19th - P Wehrlein Manor

20th - D Kvyat Red Bull

21st - R Haryanto Manor

22nd - S Perez Force India

For the final, eight drivers will be left to battle it out over five laps with the driver taking the chequered flag claiming pole position for the grand prix and a bonus five championship points to boot. Thus, we could the top four rows for Sunday’s race looking like this:

1st - M Verstappen Toro Rosso

2nd - S Vettel Ferrari

3rd - F Alonso McLaren

4th - L Hamilton Mercedes

5th - F Nasr Sauber

6th - J Palmer Renault

7th - E Gutierrez Haas

8th - M Ericsson Sauber

Looks a mouth-watering prospect for a Sunday afternoon doesn’t it?

An additional five points for the overall fastest lap could be awarded too with each Saturday race getting underway in the time honoured standing start formation with drivers on super soft tyres and low fuel.

Surely such an idea has potential because the format would engage fans at the race track and around the world while helping to increase awareness that their following of the sport has not gone unnoticed (as it has done for too many a year) and that their participation can net a once in a lifetime prize.

In fact, here’s how that could work:

Each grand prix wining driver would select five of their supporters who cast a vote for them throughout the weekend live on TV at the end of the podium interview. Perhaps then those lucky fans would be given two tickets and an all-expenses-paid trip to the following race where they will meet the driver and watch that specific race from the relevant team garage.

Personally, I’d sell my mother for a chance at that prize but would you cast your vote?

Overall, what is there not to like with this Qualifying format? Plenty of fan participation, drama, excitement, tension, mixed up grids and potentially more racing and overtaking over a grand prix weekend than you could shake a dipstick at!

OK, I accept the teams might be lukewarm to the idea at first and the drivers perhaps not so far behind – especially those who are connoisseurs in the art of moaning but for me at least, it would be mesmerising.

Do you agree? If not, tell us why and by all means, tell us how your dream qualifying session would look…

#F1 #Formulaone #Formula1 #BernieEcclestone #F1qualifying