[BariGrootrego]

To be fair to Pacific, I think they struggled after Ratzenberger's accident and never recovered really.

except ofcourse, Ratzenberger drove for Simtek

the last time we had more than 11 teams was 1995 (im excluding australia 97 here) and the bottom 2 teams, forti and pacific, were as said above pathetically slow really. but, F1 managed, and I think we dont need to worry about the same happening this year.

The HRT is designed by Dallara, so should be half decent when ran properly i would have thought.

[dabibibff]

There won't be any need to re-introduce the 107% rule, Lotus and Virgin are comfortably inside and Hispania will get inside too after a bit more track time.

[xanonlinexan]

Senna was only 1 second off the 107% and Chandock only, what, another second behind having qualified a car that had never even turned a wheel before the session, between them they've done about 25 laps i think. they are plenty quick enough to come and play, i think they've done a great job at the last minute to get 2 cars out there and kudos to the drivers for getting some times on the board - they are only a little behind the Virgins and loti consiidering the amount of laps they've turned. the basic cars of all 3 teams are plenty quick enough to race imo.

[accelieda]

Give you three guesses at who else thinks the 107% rule is a good idea

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/11234.html

He even wants to see it tightened to 105%, if that were the case, only Timo Glock would have qualified out of the 6 newbies

[soonahonsefalh]

Give you three guesses at who else thinks the 107% rule is a good idea

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/11234.html

He even wants to see it tightened to 105%, if that were the case, only Timo Glock would have qualified out of the 6 newbies

I think todays race while not the best, was interesting from the back markers point of view.
I think the Virgin and Lotus are clearly at a fine pace, and surley will improve and I see no need to bring in 107% for them, and Hispania although further back are surely OK to race judged on todays race, and at the longest circuit in terms of lap time.

[HakSpeame]

Bringing back the 107% is a good idea IMO. Sure most of the teams get through, and that's fine but they need to have a marker they have to get past to be allowed to race. Just because most are under the wire now it doesn't mean they will be later in the season if the other teams develop and they don't.

[Anteneprorid]

They could bring it back but as others have said, it might be immaterial as the new teams get up to speed.

I thought that the drivers did a good job of keeping out of the way and some of the scraps at least added a bit of excitement to what was mainly a procession.

[idobestbuyonlinepp]

I think teams will be in that 107 zone before anything is passed, What happens if you crash out in q3? or if there is a drying track?

Now that I think about it, I don't think it can work... A rubbered(is that how it's spelled?) in track should always be faster, or will the 107 time be worked out from Q3 times?

[HakSpeame]

or will the 107 time be worked out from Q3 times?

I think that would be a reasonable approach.

[Seerseraxlils]

If there is any thought of bringing back the 107%rule, then the lessor teams must be allowed more testing. But with all the high cost of teams these days, a 107% rule seems out of place to me.

[soonahonsefalh]

I think teams will be in that 107 zone before anything is passed, What happens if you crash out in q3? or if there is a drying track?

Now that I think about it, I don't think it can work... A rubbered(is that how it's spelled?) in track should always be faster, or will the 107 time be worked out from Q3 times?

If a car spins out or there is a drying track.

Under the system pre 2003, the team can appeal to the stewards that the car has been on the pace all weekend, and provided this is the case they will be allowed to race.

A good example is Sato at the Australian GP 2002. I believe he had problems early in Qualifying when the track was dry and could only go out once the rain had started. By which time he set a time +0:22:00 seconds off the pole, but was allowed to race due to bizairre circumstances.

[accelieda]

Thought this needed a re-hash because the pace of the newbies today on a moderately long track I thought was very impessive, all 3 of the teams getting comfortably within the imaginary 107% cut-off and I think its also the first time both the Hispania cars have gone within that cut-off so well done to them.

POLE TIME: 1m 34.558
107% TIME: 1m 41.177 (+ 6.619)

NEW TEAMS QUALIFYING TIMES

18th Timo Glock - Virgin ................ 1m 39.278 (+ 4.720)
19th Jarno Trulli - Lotus ................ 1m 39.399 (+ 4.841)
21st Heikki Kovalainen - Lotus ................ 1m 39.520 (+ 4.962)
22nd Lucas di Grassi - Virgin ................ 1m 39.783 (+ 5.225)
23rd Bruno Senna - Hispania ................ 1m 40.469 (+ 5.911)
24th Karun Chandhok - Hispania ................ 1m 40.578 (+ 6.020)

[BariGrootrego]

yes, i was impressed by the new teams today. In the first session, Glock's best time was under 3 seconds off the fastest driver's i believe. It shows the newbies are improving, and they are going to get better i think.

[mloversia]

I've been quite pleased with how promptly all the backmarkers have got out of the way of cars lapping them this season. Kudos to them.

[DoctorGordanBens]

yes, i was impressed by the new teams today. In the first session, Glock's best time was under 3 seconds off the fastest driver's i believe. It shows the newbies are improving, and they are going to get better i think.

It was actually something like 3.6-3.7s for Glock and Trulli, but most probably top teams didn't really push to the ultimate limit yet in Q1. Considering that Lotus' upgrades for Barcelona are supposed to be worth as much as 1-2 seconds, I'm looking forward to see their gap in Barcelona to P1 already starting with number 2. Of course everyone will bring upgrades, but I doubt established teams are going to gain such massive amount of time.

[gariharlj]

I've been quite pleased with how promptly all the backmarkers have got out of the way of cars lapping them this season. Kudos to them.

I think that's what you'd call a "backhanded compliment"

[accelieda]

It was actually something like 3.6-3.7s for Glock and Trulli, but most probably top teams didn't really push to the ultimate limit yet in Q1. Considering that Lotus' upgrades for Barcelona are supposed to be worth as much as 1-2 seconds, I'm looking forward to see their gap in Barcelona to P1 already starting with number 2. Of course everyone will bring upgrades, but I doubt established teams are going to gain such massive amount of time.

Well Lotus are bringing in more development parts than anyone else apart from Virgin who are practically bringing out a full B-spec of their current car accompanying the new bigger fuel tanks.

So I would not be suprised if both Lotus and Virgin are 1-2 seconds better off and starting to challenge the Toro Rosso's and the Saubers.

[BariGrootrego]

Well Lotus are bringing in more development parts than anyone else apart from Virgin who are practically bringing out a full B-spec of their current car accompanying the new bigger fuel tanks.

So I would not be suprised if both Lotus and Virgin are 1-2 seconds better off and starting to challenge the Toro Rosso's and the Saubers.

i really hope so. It would be great to see at least one car competitively running in the midfield.

[soonahonsefalh]

The amount the new teams are behind now. i.e 4-6.5 seconds is now really and the level Minardi and Super Aguri run at a few years ago, so I don't think there is much of an issue anymore.

Except for Virgins crusing around at the back saving fuel from Lap 20 onwards.