F1Brits_90
World Champion
interesting that seemingly they havent confirmed exactly the format for baku which is a month away
F1 in race to finalise standalone Saturday sprint rules for Baku
www.motorsport.com
Discussions have continued within the FIA over the Australian GP weekend and the final details have yet to be decided. One plan is for Friday's FP1 session to be followed by a qualifying session for Sunday's main race. On Saturday, the previously redundant and unpopular FP2 session would be replaced by qualifying for the sprint later that day. However, an alternative version with sprint qualifying on Friday and race qualifying on Saturday is also still being discussed.
It will be impossible to run two complete, three-part qualifying sessions in the usual format with drivers using new tyres in both. Teams have to give back two sets after FP1 and then typically they would use four sets of softs in Friday's race qualifying session. If both the Friday and Saturday qualifying sessions are run in the normal format, teams could run used tyres in the latter.
However, an alternative option that has been mooted is a form of one-lap qualifying, which was used with varying degrees of success in 2003-'5, and which would involve less tyre usage. The logistical challenge of getting the revised rules checked by the SAC members and then sent to the F1 Commission and onto the World Motor Sport Council for final approval in time for Baku could prove insurmountable.
However, if it can't be done, the new format could be introduced at the next sprint event in Austria in the summer.