Alonso has qualifying idea, Verstappen thinks it's tricky

Q1 of F1 qualifying is always hectic. There are 20 drivers on the track wanting to compete for a fast lap good enough for Q2. Fernando Alonso had an idea to avoid dangerous situations with traffic. Verstappen hesitates.

During the press conference for the Austrian GP, the Aston Martin driver suggested a one-lap qualifying as a solution. A qualifying in which there is one car on the track each time to drive its fastest lap. Alonso: "That would be ideal in my opinion, only one car on the track and full TV coverage for that lap, for everyone’s sponsors and everything like that. It will create a little bit of drama with weather changes in between qualifying, could see pole position as different cars and different names."

Asked later during the press moment about Verstappen's opinion, "It's quite cool, but again, there's also track evolution. So I'm not sure it's the best idea." Verstappen worries about the changing track conditions making this kind of qualifying unfair. "But again, yeah, there is always traffic," the Dutchman continued. "But this has been fun as well. You just have to try and manage it. I know some tracks, of course, is a bit better than others. But yeah, it's a tricky one."

George Russell of Mercedes and Nico Hulkenberg of Haas F1 don't see it that way either. Hulkenberg stresses that the difference between qualifying and racing can be different for both driver and teams and therefore it should stay the same as it is. That makes for an interesting mix and a dynamic fight at the weekend. Russell agrees with the German.