qualifying tyres to return?

Qualifying tyres could return to Formula 1 next year, with Pirelli having offered the teams the chance to bring the short-life rubber back to the sport, AUTOSPORT magazine reports.

Qualifying tyres disappeared from grand prix racing after the 1991 season, when both Pirelli and Goodyear supplied the field with very grippy rubber that performed at its peak during a single flying lap.

The FIA banned that sort of tyres after Pirelli's withdrawal from the sport, when only Goodyear was left to supply the teams.

But Pirelli boss Paul Hembery told AUTOSPORT that the Italian manufacturer has offered the teams to bring the tyres back next year and was waiting for their thoughts about the idea.

"We've put the idea of qualifying tyres to the teams and we will get their feedback," said Hembery. "If they don't want to do it, we won't do it.

"It might be a step too far next year and too much for the teams to take on board, but it's something that we have offered."

source: autosport

Isn't a bit late in the season to think about qualifying tyres for 2012?
There will need to be rules changes regarding starting the race on the tyres used in Qualifying etc. I know this is only a minor change but teams have already started designing next years cars

Bonjourno!

Qualifying used to mean a lot but this season with the gimmicks and degredation factor, the best car has seemed to find a way of getting to the front of the grid.

The race is the spectacle now. The only way to make qualifying more important is to have points like at the end of the race. This will stop people sitting on new tyres for the race and degrading the spectacle of qualifying.

Forza Alonso!

Ridiculous!

Remind me - wasn't F1 supposed to be cutting costs and reducing the amount of parts and tyres expended during a race weekend / season?

Alessandro (for once) makes a good point.

How will having special qualifying tyres change the overall outcome? You're still going to see the same teams (largely) battling it out for the front positions.

With the soft / supersoft race tyres, KERS and DRS, you're still going to get a decent-to-frantic race spectacle. This increased ability to overtake is what has reduced the importance of qualifying. The tyre saving is just a nice (sometime) bonus. Where they feel they have to, teams still fight tooth and nail for pole position.

Fine, you might make qualifying more interesting EVERY weekend, but how many people really care about who gets pole, now they know things can change dramatically during the race?

"Fine, you might make qualifying more interesting EVERY weekend, but how many people really care about who gets pole, now they know things can change dramatically during the race?"

Exactly. Say no more.

Bonjourno!

Of course things change during the race. Tyre degradation, reliability, race craft and stratagem all play a part. Part of the drivers skill though is to show out right pace and qualify with the quickest time possible and show case his and the cars talents.

All is needed is value and importance to the qualifying session. I have campaigned for points to be awarded for the session. To qualify pole and have no WDC reward is unfair.

The reward is in the race and they save their tyres for the race. Things need to change. And its not through silly qualifying tyres.

Forza Alonso!

no no no, the reward of qualifying on pole is to be into the first corner FIRST! points for qualifying would be obsurd and have already been dismissed by F1 officials AFAIK

Bonjourno!

So the only reward is for the front row of the grid. The rest of grid therefore might as well abandon qualifying and save tyres.

For some of the smaller teams that risk all their new tyres in order to break into the top 10 show down and be penalised for that effort in the race is a little harsh. The race day is set up by qualifying, therefore there should be more emphasis placed upon this session.

Points for the top 10 would be fairer. 10 points for 1st, 9 for 2nd, 8 for 3rd etc etc.

The WDC is currently all about the race. Fair enough. But if you make a gamble in qualifying and exceed all expectations they why shouldn't you be rewarded with points?

Either that or scrap qualifying and have a grid based upon where you finished the last race. A reward for finishing better in the previous race AND a way of penalising the drivers and manufacturers who DNF in the previous race.

I would prefer points.

Forza Alonso!

Its a daft idea. Its been like it has for years.

could have a qualifying race? then reverse 1-12 and 13-24 for the race

Reversing the grid from the previous race could be an option. Like BTCC