2014 United States Grand Prix - Austin

[Hail22]

F1 2014 United States GP: Drivers Press Conference

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqS6-7tTdFs[/youtube]

[Forza]

Formula One racing will adopt a revised qualifying format for this weekend’s 2014 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix following the withdrawal of Caterham and Marussia from the event.

Now, instead of the slowest six cars being eliminated from Q1 with six more following in Q2, the stewards have decided that the slowest four cars will exit in Q1, followed by another four in Q2. The top ten Q3 shootout will remain the same.

Caterham and Marussia are both missing the race in Austin as they seek solutions to their current financial issues.

[SiLo]

I probably won't even notice the Caterham and Marussia aren't there because they get such little screen time anyway.

[Manoah2u]

I probably won't even notice the Caterham and Marussia aren't there because they get such little screen time anyway.

Which is essentialy the reason they are fumbling - no exposure = no income.
They haven't paid or agreed to the terms of Bernie's TV dictatorship, thus don't get airtime.
Now they are falling apart because no sponsor is going to pay without getting exposure.

[Harsha]

Remind me, how tough is this track on fuel? Medium?

read some where that needs a bit more fuel saving due to high drag nature cars use .
may be middle between Medium to high

[Richard]

If Vettel changes his engine and skips Q1 then that session will only eliminate 3 cars.

Also McLaren have confirmed Buton needs a new gearbox, so he'll get pushed 5 places down the grid.

[MrBigglesworth]

If Alonso and Vettel both change complete engine units to start from the pit lane - how do they decide who starts ahead on the pit lane?

Does it depend on Q3/Q2/Q1 set time?

[rohit1594]

If Alonso and Vettel both change complete engine units to start from the pit lane - how do they decide who starts ahead on the pit lane?

Does it depend on Q3/Q2/Q1 set time?

We are assuming that since VET will start from the pitlane and skip qualifying (as Richard has mentioned in the post above), there will be no qualifying time for him at all. Assuming ALO does the same, wouldn't they start based on the current championship position? I.e., VET ahead of ALO.

[turbof1]

Strictly speaking the FIA could avoid this by applying the 107% rule more strictly, excluding Vettel from the race if they don't set a qualy time.

However, that'll result in Vettel doing one and only one qualy lap.

[FW17]

I do not understand this starting in the pitlane idea.

Pastor M changed an engine and served penalties at 2 races and started last on the grid, could he have avoided this by starting from the pitlane? was lotus not reading the rule book?

[MrBigglesworth]

If Alonso and Vettel both change complete engine units to start from the pit lane - how do they decide who starts ahead on the pit lane?

Does it depend on Q3/Q2/Q1 set time?

We are assuming that since VET will start from the pitlane and skip qualifying (as Richard has mentioned in the post above), there will be no qualifying time for him at all. Assuming ALO does the same, wouldn't they start based on the current championship position? I.e., VET ahead of ALO.

So if they both planned to start from the pit lane, but then ALO set a timed lap in Q3 and VET didn't - would that put ALO ahead of VET. If so it could turn into a cat and mouse game between the two and could force them to actually qualify.

[turbof1]

I do not understand this starting in the pitlane idea.

Pastor M changed an engine and served penalties at 2 races and started last on the grid, could he have avoided this by starting from the pitlane? was lotus not reading the rule book?

I think it'll mean Vettel will have to start from the back in the next race too.

[rohit1594]

Strictly speaking the FIA could avoid this by applying the 107% rule more strictly, excluding Vettel from the race if they don't set a qualy time.

I think this rule would not be fair to Vettel. What about other drivers having genuine technical problems and unable to set a Q1 time? These drivers would certainly be permitted in the race based on their practice times. Does the fact that some driver wants to miss qualifying voluntarily justify forcing him to take part in qualifying?

[turbof1]

Strictly speaking the FIA could avoid this by applying the 107% rule more strictly, excluding Vettel from the race if they don't set a qualy time.

I think this rule would not be fair to Vettel. What about other drivers having genuine technical problems and unable to set a Q1 time? These drivers would certainly be permitted in the race based on their practice times. Does the fact that some driver wants to miss qualifying voluntarily justify forcing him to take part in qualifying?

Yes. I mean if you can't get to qualy to bad luck just before qualy, then I agree with you. However, I feel drivers and teams at the top of F1 should give the right example by participating.

However, forcing them to participate the complete qualy is impossible, even if the rules change. Vettel will then drive to a target time within 107% yet drops him out of Q1.

You are right in the sense that Red Bull was unlucky with earlier failures during the season which piled up to this point. However I feel that if you are in place to participate to qualy, you should participate to qualy. We are already 4 cars down, with Vettel included it goes 1 further down. The American people probably hasn't forgotten the Indianapolis Disaster back in 2005 and although this isn't as bad, it certainly will tear the old wound open.

Admittingly, the rules themselves are very discouraging to do so in such a situation.

[rohit1594]

I do not understand this starting in the pitlane idea.

Pastor M changed an engine and served penalties at 2 races and started last on the grid, could he have avoided this by starting from the pitlane? was lotus not reading the rule book?

I think it'll mean Vettel will have to start from the back in the next race too.

Extract from the FIA regulations:

(http://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/ ... -06-29.pdf )

Should a driver use more than four of any one of the elements during a Championship season, a grid place penalty will be imposed upon him at the first Event during which each additional element is used. Penalties will be applied according to the following table and will be cumulative :
Replacement of a complete power unit - The driver concerned must start the race from the back of the grid.
The first time a 5th of any of the elements is used - Ten grid place penalty.

Which means Maldonado did not get a completely new PU.