The pros and cons of the quali system - JV

So far, the new qualifying system has met with mainly positive reactions by fans, drivers and the responsible people. BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Jacques Villeneuve talks about his experiences with the new qualifying format.

During the course of the still young 2006 Formula One World Championship season, the new three-part qualifying system has so far been able to stand the test. What makes it particularly exciting is the drop-out system, which eliminates the six slowest drivers per session. The only criticism so far has concerned the length of the final top qualifying session.

Jacques Villeneuve understands the criticism. "The drop-out system is good, but I am not sure about the last 20 minutes, where you have cars running around slowly to burn fuel. The fans will have to decide if that is good or not."

Following the first two parts of qualifying, the recorded lap times are erased. According to Jacques, this signifies a particular challenge for the drivers. "You're in a strange mental situation," the Canadian explains. "You have to be fast enough to drive a fast lap but the recorded time doesn't count for the top qualifying. You don't know how fast to go. Sometimes you take a huge risk but it doesn't really count because it is only to get you into the next qualifying round. It would be a bit better if you could keep your lap time."