The FIA expects to sign off a new rule next month which will add a fourth stage to qualifying sessions in the 2020 F1 season, RaceFans has learned.

The sport’s governing body has asked F1 teams to run simulations to assist it with framing the rules around the new ‘Q4’ session, which has been under discussion since last year.

A key sticking point concerns the how teams would manage their tyre allocations if faced with an extra qualifying session. At present each driver receives 13 sets of dry weather tyres for the weekend.

There are concerns that, while the fastest teams could save enough tyres to have a fresh set left over to compete in ‘Q4′, other teams would exhaust their supplies of new rubber just to make it that far.

Adding an extra set to the teams’ allocations would require Pirelli to supply 1,680 extra tyres per year, more than half of which would likely end up as waste. Teams have therefore been asked to simulate how they would approach a four-part qualifying session to see if it is feasible by adjusting the tyre allocations in some other way.

Providing a solution can be found the FIA intends to secure backing for the new rule via an F1 Commission e-vote and gain its formal approval by April 30th.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

However the idea of adding a fourth part to qualifying has failed to win much support from drivers. Last year Max Verstappen said F1 should “keep it like it is” and Sebastian Vettel also said he saw no need to change the current three-part format.

Their views were echoed by Nico Hulkenberg in Bahrain yesterday. “I don’t see a problem with it but I also don’t see big urge to change it now,” he said. “What would we gain by doing that?”

Hulkenberg expressed doubt that extending qualifying to four parts could increase the chance that drivers from the quicker teams are knocked out earlier.

“I think they could cover,” he said. “They have the luxury of being a lot faster than everybody so that gives them the luxury and the flexibility of going around those kind of rules changes more easily than the slower cars. I’m not sure that would be a solution.”

Current three-part qualifying format Stage Duration Drivers eliminated Break Q1 18 minutes 5* 7 minutes Q2 15 minutes 5* 8 minutes Q3 12 minutes 10 remaining *Assuming 10 teams; 6 if 11 teams, 7 if 12 teams etc… Proposed four-part qualifying foramt Stage Duration Drivers eliminated Break Q1 12 minutes 4* 5 minutes Q2 12 minutes 4* 5 minutes Q3 10 minutes 4 6 minutes Q4 10 minutes 8 remaining *Assuming 10 teams; 5 if 11 teams, 6 if 12 teams, etc…

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2020 F1 season