F1 News: Fans Deliver Verdict On Hungarian GP Qualifying Format

F1 fans have been giving their verdict on the new qualifying format used at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The new format meant that teams were forced to use hard compound tyres during Q1, medium compounds in Q2, and soft compounds during Q3. This is part of the initiative to make the sport carbon-neutral by 2030.

Some drivers have been criticising the format including two-time champion Fernando Alonso and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, the latter of which argued that there are far more efficient ways to reduce the amount of tyres used and taken to the track.

Fans have also been giving their opinion on the new format, which is also set to be trialled in Monza after the summer break. One fan posted:

"It mixed things up, but if the overall goal is to reduce the number of tyres used by F1 they would be better off having just the one compound for practice, qualifying and race, instead of three out of six (or is it 8) compounds.

"That could lead to more predictable outcomes on most circuits (ie boring), but it seems like F1’s number one priority is to save the planet rather than racing.

"I don’t mind if they just cut the total tyre allocation for each round and let teams manage that."

Someone else responded with their thoughts, writing:

"It makes things easier for the top teams, who would often try to get to Q2 on hard tyres anyway, and had to be faster than slow cars prepared to burn up softs to get out of Q1. And then sometimes they'd have to do a run on softer tyres anyway because they didn't have the margin.

"In theory it makes it harder for slow teams to get out of Q1 because they can't pop in a run on softer tyres than their peers. But that didn't really happen in practice because everyone who was marginal to get out of Q1 and would be at the back in Q2 was using soft tyres in Q1. Only the RBs, Mercs, maybe Ferrari would chance a harder tyre in Q1.

"If everyone is using softer tyres then no one is.

"New format: less intrigue, more straightforward. Is that good or bad? I don't know.

"In general I like it more then team strategists have to juggle more factors, not fewer."

"I think it's a bit of a lottery and it can be unfair.

"But ... it has a capability to create really mixed up grids so I'll take entertainment over fairness."

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