F1 teams react to proposed four-part qualifying format in 2020

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Red Bull and Ferrari are just two Formula 1 teams responding to Liberty Media's push for a four-part qualifying format next year.

Based largely on today's three-part session, the change would see four cars eliminated at the end of the first three segments, leaving the final eight to battle it out for pole.

One issue immediately raised by Christian Horner though is tyres and whether the current allocation of 13 sets from Pirelli would be sufficient.

“What you don’t want to end up with is cars not running in Q4 because there are no tyres left. So are there enough tyres to support the initiative?" he questioned to Autosport.

“We’re open to any ideas but you have to really do your homework to make sure we don’t just change for the sake of change.

“It feels like we’re a little bit short of tyres after a first look at that first four sectors of qualifying. We’re running the simulations.”

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto appeared more open to the concept, though admit a decision on whether to agree has not yet been made.

“We are positive about the times [of the sessions] and that the simulation is being done properly to make sure we are not introducing any issues," he explained.

"We are expecting the latest wording for the proposal and then we’ll go through it.”

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Haas chief Guenther Steiner warns though, anything that is introduced should not offer any advantage to the top three teams.

“It must be studied in more detail, so that we don’t make the gap between the top and the rest larger instead of closing it,” he was quoted by PlanetF1.

“It could mean the three big teams get an advantage rather than it mixing everything up a bit more.

“The idea of shorter sessions where people can look stupid is not bad, but if it ends up being just them who reach Q4, is it interesting?

“We need to be sure that we are not doing it wrong because the current qualification system is not bad. It works," he added. “If it’s not broken, why try to fix it?”

 

         

 

 

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