F1 qualifying set to be shortened next year

MONZA, Italy, Sep 8 (Reuters) - Formula One teams have agreed to tweak qualifying next season in a move that will rid the sport of one of its more environmentally-unfriendly practices.

''The sporting working group met on Wednesday here in Monza and among the items on the agenda was a proposal which just slightly modified the qualifying procedure,'' Renault head of engineering Pat Symonds said at the Italian Grand Prix yesterday.

''But in so doing it got rid of the fuel burning laps. The way it did it was to have a more limited time in Q3, in the final part of qualifying.

''That achieved a majority vote in favour of it and therefore it will go to the World Council in their October meeting for application next year.'' Qualifying is divided into three parts, with the six slowest drivers dropping out in each of the first two before the final 10 drivers enter a 15-minute final showdown for pole position.

The fuel burning arises because drivers want their cars as light as possible for the final minutes of qualifying but also need enough fuel in the car to go 20 or more laps at the start of the race.

REUTERS BJR AS1002