Australian Grand Prix makes a BIG change to F1 qualifying within the title of driver security, after a request from the game’s involved bosses
- FIA voiced worries about impact of glare at sundown on drivers’ imaginative and prescient
- Organisers will begin qualifying session an hour earlier at 4pm native time
- Drivers together with Daniel Ricciardo voiced issues throughout 2022 GP
Qualifying for this 12 months’s Australian Grand Prix will probably be introduced ahead after the game’s governing physique raised issues about drivers being put in danger by glare from the sundown interfering with their imaginative and prescient.
The battle for grid locations will now run from 4-5pm native time as a substitute of the earlier 5-6pm. The swap hasn’t been ratified by the Fédération Internationale de l’Vehicle (FIA), however that ought to solely be a formality.
‘The reason being as a result of there have been some glare points throughout qualifying,’ Australian GP chief govt Andrew Westacott informed the Herald Solar.
‘Suggestions by way of the FIA was that they wished to make it earlier. We’re finalising that in the mean time nevertheless it’s more likely to be earlier simply to ensure there may be very best lightin from the solar versus it being too low within the western sky.’
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (pictured after profitable final 12 months’s Australian GP) spoke out in regards to the issues drivers confronted as they tried to qualify throughout sundown
Leclerc mentioned the darkest visors weren’t sufficient to take care of the issue
Present world champion Max Verstappen was seen utilizing duct tape on his visor to fight the issue in final 12 months’s race and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – who took pole place in 2022 – spoke out in regards to the scenario on the time.
‘I don’t suppose there was the rest we might do, something,’ he mentioned.
‘Even with the darkest visor, it’s nonetheless not sufficient and it could be took darkish for the remainder of the observe the place there have been clouds. It’s only a compromise that we’ve to seek out nevertheless it’s the identical for everybody in the long run.’
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo was additionally unimpressed with the sunshine as he struggled to qualify final April.
Aussie Daniel Ricciardo’s trademark smile disappeared when he spoke out in regards to the lack of imaginative and prescient throughout sundown on the 2022 race, saying he ‘actually could not see’
‘There was one run that we actually could not see,’ he defined.
‘There have been like 4 corners the place I couldn’t discover the apex.’
The beginning time for the 2023 race on April 2 will stay unchanged at 3pm native time after it was briefly moved to 5pm in 2009 so as to enhance scores for the telecast abroad.
