Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello has welcomed
the changes to be brought into Formula One this year including the
introduction of one-lap qualifying.
"They were talking about so many things
but I am quite happy with the changes," he told a news conference
on Wednesday.
"The single qualifying lap means there
will be a race where a top contender will probably be sixth on the
grid and if he is sixth in Hungary then it is going to be difficult
for him," said Barrichello, referring to the Hungaroring track
where it is difficult to overtake.
"I think qualifying is one of my strongest
points...that is why I like the new rules -- it will be a 'Superman'
lap and it is going to be push all the time."
Asked whether the new one-lap system would
reward good fortune rather than quality, Barrichehllo said he was
sure that the system would result in more diverse grids.
"The qualifying lap will be a mix of
everything -- there will be an element of luck in terms of how the
machine goes but at the end the best will emerge," said Barrichello.
Last season's runner-up in the world championship
said the new points system should keep the battle alive until the
end of the season -- in contrast to 2002 when Ferrari wrapped up
the title well before the final race.
Under the new format, the second place finisher
in a race gets eight points rather than the six awarded previously.
The top eight drivers all score rather than just the top six.
"If you win five races and you have
50 points and the guy who has finished second in all those races
is just 10 points behind it can make a big difference. The championship
won't end so soon which perhaps makes it more interesting,"
said Barrichello. |