Rubens Barrichello believes that the qualifying system for the Monaco Grand Prix should have been altered to take into account the damaging effect traffic is set to cause around the tight confines of the street circuit.
Several drivers have voiced concerns over the knockout method of qualifying, insisting that having 22 cars trying to qualify in 15 minutes will prove havoc for those on a fast lap, as they attempt to pass those they are likely to encounter on a warming up or down lap.
Indeed, the Brazilian, who has qualified in the top five in the last three grands prix, admits that the unique surroundings of Monaco should have seen changes to accommodate the increased volume of cars and lowered time limit.
"Qualifying is definitely good and I think the car could actually work quite well here," Barrichello said. "The problem is going to be just being on the track at the right time.
"Honestly, I think we should have a different qualifying system for here because probably five percent of us won't say anything about qualifying, that we had a free lap, and the rest will all be talking about traffic, even in the last session. Probably not as much in qualifying three, but first qualifying is going to be like hell, really."
Before the single-lap qualification format was introduced, traffic has always been a deciding factor in Monaco and over the years has provided an unpredictable grid, something which many are expecting with the more intense system.
Barrichello is also concerned about the Thursday practice session as a total of 28 cars will take to the track. "You really need to give a lot of space to people on Thursday and see if they remember that on Saturday and let it go, because if somebody goes out of the pits, just thinking about life, it's going to be quite dangerous in a way. If you're going to go flat out up through Casino Square, from there on you can give some space."
