The End Of Qualifying?

Jarno Trulli, one of the most experienced drivers in Formula One, has claimed that this season may see the end of qualifying as we currently know it.

The veteran Italian driver, now in his second season with the emerging Team Lotus, has experienced many changes to his sport in his career, which spans three decades.

Trulli's argument is that drivers are now choosing to conserve tyres, rather than trying to set the fastest lap.
The idea started when Mark Webber sensationally failed to reach Q2, due to choosing not to use soft tyres. However, he was able to progress from 18th to 3rd on race day, as he still had all his faster soft tyres available.
Therefore, in the most recent race in Turkey, drivers were making just one run in Q3, even if their time wasn't particularly competitive. Felipe Massa, for example, failed to set a time on his first attempt in Q3, yet still chose not to go out again on another set of tyres, and instead accepted 10th on the grid.

Trulli admits that the races are now more exciting due to the new Pirelli tyres, but he believes qualifying will become more tactical, and less of a spectacle.

For more, see www.autosport.com