I probably should apologize before I even start as this may be the longest posting on this topic but I need to explain my reasons.
I'm also a fan of keeping Q1 and Q2 as they are, then having a shootout for the top 10. Reasons? One of the great spectacles in motorsport is seeing any one of the worlds top drivers, with the track to himself, striving for perfection, trying to achieve that one error free perfect lap. But we're denied seeing it. The problem with the current system is, although that's exactly what they're trying to achieve, we never see it. How often do we hear the commentator say for example, Alonso has been very quick through the first sector but has run a little wide in turn seven, but we didn't see it! Or Hamilton's on track for pole and has had a wonderful middle sector, but we didn't see that either! The current system is so disjointed as the cameras chop and change between drivers laps, we never see one complete lap from any of the drivers in Q3. I'd like to see Q3 as a top 10 shootout where the drivers complete two runs. They draw for their running order then to keep things absolutely fair reverse the running order for their second run. Reversing the running order provides every driver with an equal chance for pole regardless of the starting order you draw. Imagine if Hamilton drew No.1 in the running order, puts in a very good lap but gets bettered by the last runners as the track improves, then in the reverse order, instead of being first he's the final driver to run when the track is at its best, bearing in mind it was at its worst during his first run. Imagine it, one of the world's leading drivers striving for the perfection of an error free lap, all of us knowing what he has to achieve to take pole, and us as viewers, being given the privilege of watching his entire lap. As I say, one of the truly great spectacles in motorsport.
There is one problem, television probably needs to squeeze qualifying into a one hour package. Easily solved. Start the coverage with a 15min highlight package to give us an overview of what happened in Q1 and Q2 then give three quarters of an hour of live coverage to the two runs of the top 10 shootout. We'd be given the privilege of seeing every drivers complete runs, each one striving for that perfect lap, instead of the disjointed coverage the current system gives us.
Rain can be an issue but it is under the current system also. This is not ideal but it's surprisingly fair. If it rains, disadvantaging the later runners, red flag the session and determine the top 10 grid positions based on their current placings in the championship in relation to one another. It's used in the States with no complaints from the drivers because it is fair and leaves no one at a disadvantage, and it's quite rare for rain to interrupt qualifying so rarely needs to be used.
