Title: FIA confirms qualifying changes
Stone Cold Spider 3:16 - May 9, 2008 03:32 AM (GMT)
The FIA has confirmed that five cars will be excluded from the first two sessions of qualifying in the wake of Super Aguri's withdrawal from Formula One.
The sporting regulations for 2008 were originally written based around an entry of 24 cars, where seven cars were to be excluded from Q1 and Q2 to leave 10 cars in the final session.
Although there was a proviso written should the entry drop to 22 cars, with six cars being dropped from each session, there was nothing official for a scenario where there were only 20 cars.
But following discussions by the race stewards at the Turkish Grand Prix, it was decided that five cars will be excluded from the first two qualifying sessions.
A statement issued by the FIA on Thursday evening said: "The Stewards, having received a report from the Technical Delegate note that 20 cars will participate in the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix.
"Therefore under article 33.1 of the 2008 Sporting Regulations, the Stewards have decided that only five cars will be excluded after Q1 and Q2 of the Qualifying Practice."
Although less cars are to be excluded in the first session, the absence of Super Aguri will actually make it harder for those teams who have to work hard to make it through to Q2.
The pace of Super Aguri so far this season effectively meant the rest of the grid were fighting over four slots in Q1, whereas now there will be an extra risk of not making it through to second qualifying.
Source: Autosport.com