Whiting: “Teams may not run in FP3”

The Australian GP may not be the best in terms of spectacle due to the probable reliability problems that the various teams could suffer. As always, an hour of free practice is scheduled on Saturday morning, just two hours after the qualifying session. But some teams, however, may decide not to ride in FP3.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting confirmed in Melbourne: “We have heard that some teams would prefer not to run in FP3 to ensure they have a car for qualifying.”

The teams' fear concerns the reliability of the cars powered by the V6 power units due to the problems experienced in the winter tests. Several hours can sometimes pass between the problem and the diagnosis, and a total engine change can take up to six hours.

Another concern is the departure procedure. Whiting admitted: “They told me some cars didn't even complete a test start. I'm sure they'll do a lot of them here coming out of the pitlane. But there are some additional concerns. In recent years there have not been many stops on the grid, it has become a rarity. But obviously if a car stops before the start, we can abort the start and do another formation lap. The most dangerous situation, however, is when a driver stops after the start has already been given and this is something I will alert the stewards about during the briefing with them."