Dawson: Time to tweak the rules

 columnist Steve Dawson thinks that it is time to tweak the rules to ensure that Formula 1 qualifing remains exciting.

I used to call Formula 1 qualifying, 'The most exciting hour in sport'. Not anymore.

We used to get the 10 best drivers in the 10 best cars, in an all-or-nothing shoot out for pole position. Not anymore.

We used to end the session with a succession of drivers taking the chequered flag, sometime seeing pole position change hands two or three times in the space of 30 seconds. Not anymore.

This season we've been robbed of that excitement. Drivers duck out of the thrilling finale to Saturday's action to save tyres and settle for second, third and even 10th best.

Felipe Massa was the first big-name driver to start the trend at the Turkish Grand Prix. Having seen that his Ferrari was not registering times likely to compete with the other nine drivers in the final session, he chose not to run and settled for 10th on the grid.

As far as entertainment value went, there was no huge impact. You could even make a case that the decision itself was entertaining. It was original, tactical and a topic that fueled discussion. But The European Grand Prix in Valencia was entirely different.

Although Adrian Sutil and Nick Heidfeld failed to register a Q3 time, their absence was hardly a stab in the heart. What did cut to the quick was Fernando Alonso's decision to not to put in a last big effort. That call had a knock on effect. As well as robbing us of the chance to see him move above 4th spot, we were also denied the reaction that this would have prompted in Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, had he made an improvement.

I stop short at criticising Alonso. This was his home Grand Prix and he was desperate to please his Spanish fans. It was a logically-sound decision and without question paid off as he advanced from fourth on the grid to the second step on the podium the following day.

But take this to the Nth degree. What's stopping all the Q3 drivers from just settling for the grid positions they earned in Q2 meaning all 10 drivers sit out Q3?

It's time for a tweak in the rules. One set of tyres for qualifying and one set of tyres for the race would sort things out. Then perhaps we'd get the most exciting hour in sport back.