The new way...

[Steven]

After a meeting between the teams and some vips like Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley, according to the concorde agreement, first info has yet arrived about the changes:

- A different way of qualifying with each competitor taking to the track alone for a single qualifying lap
- A new points system that covers the top eight finishers
- Team orders will no longer be acceptable if they interfere with the race result
- Spa Francorchamps removed from the 2003 Calendar
- An option for additional Friday testing if teams agree to less than ten days of in-season testing
- Each tyre manufacturer can supply each team with up to two compounds.

Proposals such as driver swapping, shared components and ballast were unsurprisingly not approved.

More information can be found in the forums!

[Steven]

The following is a press conference from the FIA:

The FIA Formula One Commission met in London today (October 28th, 2002) and decided on the following regulation changes:

Qualifying

- There will be two qualifying sessions - Friday and Saturday, both 13.00 - 14.00;
- qualifying to be one (only) flying lap for each car, cars to run one at a time;
- running order on Friday to follow Championship (previous year at first race), with Championship leader going out first, 2nd in Championship running second, and so on;
- running order on Saturday will be determined by the Friday times (which do not count for the grid), so that the fastest on Friday runs last on Saturday, the second fastest second last, and so on.

Practice schedule

This will remain Friday: 11.00 to 12.00 and Saturday: 09.00 to 09.45 and 10.15 to 11.00 (with qualifying from 13.00 to 14.00 both days, as above).

Testing

Provided that by 15 December, at least three teams undertake to the FIA not to run more than 10 car-days of private testing between 1 March and 1 November, the teams which have given this undertaking will be able to test at each Event from 09.00 to 11.00 on Friday and may use their spare car and their test driver during this period.

World Championship points

From 2003 points will be awarded down to 8th place on the scale 10:8:6:5:4:3:2:1 - (previously to 6th place on the scale 10:6:4:3:2:1).

Team orders

Team orders which interfere with the race result are prohibited.

The 2003 Belgian Grand Prix

In the absence of unanimous agreement by the teams to run at the 2003 Belgian Grand Prix without tobacco advertising, this event has been removed from the World Championship calendar.

Tyres

Each team will be allowed to use two different dry tyres at each Event, (previously each tyre company could supply only the same two dry tyres to each of its teams). Teams will continue to be limited to 10 sets of dry tyres per Event. Only one type of wet tyre to be used per Event.


what do you all think about it?
I'm not too exited about that qualifying I'm afraid. I don't think it's a better way.. Or is it?

[Guest]

I agree that something must be done about team orders but how do you judge if team orders have taken place, they will just hide how they do it

And as for the new qualifying system, it sounds crap

[Steven]

Note that the current 107% rule will stay, despite some fuss made by Minardi team principal Paul Stoddart.