13/09/2019
NEWS STORY
Other than a desire to spice up the current weekend format, Saturday's Q3 shambles, which saw nine drivers fail to complete a final flying lap as they held back in an attempt to get a tow from the car at the head of the pack, brought the need for a change into sharp relief.
For some time F1 bosses have been looking at ways to improve qualifying, and Ross Brawn recently admitted that the idea of races being on held on Saturday to decide Sunday's grid order was being considered.
Following yesterday's meeting of F1's Strategy Group in Geneva, Ferrari team boss, Mattia Binotto revealed that the ten teams have given their approval to the idea.
"All the teams said yes, including us" he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Therefore, in 2020 it will be done."
It's understood that the race, thought to be 100km, will replace Q3, but will only happen at certain circuits, mostly at tracks where overtaking is 'difficult'.
The proposal to bring back refuelling was rejected by the teams, as was the plan to make two tyre stops mandatory.
While F1 bosses will now consider the proposals, Binotto made it clear that as far as Ferrari is concerned, the sport must not stray from its historic roots.
"Two concepts must be clear," he said. "F1 must remain a platform where technological competition exists. This is the only reason why Ferrari invests in it. We don't like any attempt to make the cars all the same.
"It must also remain a discipline in which the best wins because trying to mix the cards is wrong. Ours is not a show, it is a sport," he added.
"The regulation that we will vote in October will be the starting point for continuing to discuss and improve."