Flash.(Formula One's third qualifying session will now last 15 minutes.)(Team Penske recovering from June 28 flooding at its Reading, Pennsylvania, headquarters.)(Carlin Motorsport has fired American driver Colin Fleming.)

F1 qualifying modified Formula One's third qualifying session, previously 20 minutes long, will now last 15 minutes. Why? The 10 drivers who survive the first two 15-minute knockout sessions must go out on track for the final pole-position battle with the fuel load with which they will start the race.

So far this year they have spent the first few minutes cruising around to burn off fuel to take weight out of the cars. It is boring to watch and presents a bad image at a time when F1 wants to be seen as environmentally responsible. The change is scheduled to be in effect for French ...

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