2006 European Grand Prix - Race 5/18

Dennis open-minded on qualifying changes

McLaren boss Ron Dennis said he is open-minded about changes being made to Formula One's qualifying system - but warned that a switch to low-fuel running for the final shoot-out could wreck some of the excitement in races.

Team principals are due to meet ahead of next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix to discuss possible changes to the final session of the knockout format, amid unhappiness at the fuel burn-off period at the start of Q3.

Although some teams are pushing for a simple one-lap shoot-out for pole position with race fuel levels, other bosses want the final session to become a low fuel run - with race levels of fuel lodged with the FIA before qualifying.

Dennis has not ruled out supporting a move to either type of qualifying, but he fears that low fuel running will wreck the spectacle of races because it will not mix up grids as much as they currently are due to varying levels of fuel being carried.

"If it's the same for everybody we don't have any strong opinions," he said when asked about his views for a change of qualifying.

"We will be open-minded about running with no fuel for the last 10, but I think we all have to accept we will have the fastest guy on pole and slowest guy in 10th.

"That's what is going to happen most of the time, which means the grid will not be mixed - and that normally contributes to the race. For us, we would be open minded for anything that could improve the show."

There is the theoretical possibility of a change taking place as soon as next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, but that would require the unanimous support of the teams, the FIA and FOM - something that would unlikely be achieved in such a short space of time.

Dennis said he would prefer to wait to allow a more considered change, rather than making a modification that needs to be altered again because it is not suitable.

"I don't advocate regular change," he explained. "I would prefer to wait until mid-season. More than one change would create confusion."
Click to expand...
 
Dennis not ruling Hamilton out for 2007

McLaren chief Ron Dennis has praised his protege Lewis Hamilton for his performance in the GP2 series, after the young Briton won both races at the Nurburgring in dominating fashion.

But Dennis would not be drawn into speculating on whether Hamilton could be ready to join Fernando Alonso at McLaren next season, although he did not rule out the possibility.

Hamilton took his maiden GP2 win in yesterday's feature race, finishing 20 seconds ahead of his ART teammate despite a drive-through penalty early in the race.

He followed the feat with a second win in this morning's sprint race, moving him to second in the championship standings with just one point behind title leader Nelson Piquet Jr.

"He's doing a good job obviously, and he was very dominant yesterday," Dennis, whose McLaren team have had Hamilton under contract for a decade now, said today.

"It's very early days, and we'll see how his performance unfolds. Clearly, our position as a team is to have the best available drivers, and it is always nice to have a choice.

"[Mercedes director] Norbert [Haug] and I invested a lot of money and time in Hamilton, going right back to when he was 11 years old, I think. It's nice to see he has responded to the challenge, and he is doing his bit of the relationship."

Asked if Hamilton - who has taken Nico Rosberg's seat at ART as the reigning champion moved up to Formula One with Williams - could continue to follow in Rosberg's path, Dennis said: "It's not impossible; Nico is doing a very good job.

"We have a very clear objective to end up with the best available drivers. We're concentrating on winning races and are not too concerned about next year."

But Dennis has made it clear that Hamilton's ethnicity, and the prospects of becoming the first black driver in modern Formula One, will not be factored in at all.

"Colour is immaterial as far as I'm concerned," Dennis stated. "There's been inevitably over the years financial support that has been offered because of that element. We haven't been interested, we've rejected it.

"He is a young, focused, talented driver working hard out of the car as well as in the car."
Click to expand...
 
Bah why can't Blundell speak properly

"That's all what matters"
"That looks like fire what is coming out of his car"
 
Qualifying fuel allocations - Europe

Following qualifying, the FIA released the number of laps each driver completed in the final qualifying session, and consequently the amount of fuel each driver is allowed to add to his car's fuel tanks before the start of the race:

Code: 
Driver        Laps  Fuel (kg)
Alonso        14    38.5*
M.Schumacher  13    35.5
Massa         13    35.5
Barrichello   13    35.5
Raikkonen     14    38.0
Button        13    35.5
Trulli        14    38.5 *
Villeneuve    13    35.5
Montoya       13    35.5
Webber        13    35.5

* 0.5kg as a fuel sample was taken from the cars after the session
Click to expand...
 
rpstewart said:
My word that pit lane park track is tight. It's the F1 equivalent of boy racers down at Maccy Ds :D
Click to expand...

Tempted to go to Silverstone now to see it as much as I dislike it.

Grid walk time. :D

Villeneuve seems to be ina good mood. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom