FEBRUARY 18, 2003

More details of qualifying

We hear that the current 107% qualifying rule will remain in place despite the fact that a driver may choose to run with a very heavy fuel load and as a result may failed to record a time within 107% of the pole position man who might have been running with a very light fuel load. In such circumstances it seems that the FIA stewards of the meeting will be allowed to take the fuel load into account and allow a slow driver to start the race.

We also hear that for TV purposes (commercial breaks) there will be three breaks during qualifying after the fifth, 10th and 15th qualifiers have had their runs. This is yet to be confirmed.