With Webbers amazing performance in the 2nd half of the race, it begs the question, are you better off risking a poor grid slot for a load of new tyres in the race. Also Hamilton saved a set and it proved to be an inspired decision and coupled with a fantastic drive was able to win when he was 1 min away from starting last.
Take nothing away form their performances but is it a valid question?

Yes. They NEED to give them more tires for qualifying. Webber wouldn't have been that quick if his softs had any laps on them.

I wonder if they ought to give sets back to those that get through to Q2, Q3 etc But i dont want to sound bitter because Vettel was 2nd
but it didn't half help the show towards the end of the race

They won't change tire allocation.

Therefore I expect people going to q3 with used tires only and/or using only one set of softs on q2 if possible.

At least for fast tracks like Interlagos, Spa, Turkey or Monza, but not Hungary or Monaco.

I'm sure a third stop would be more tempting for say, Massa, if he had a brand new option waiting for him...

Yes, this is something in the line of what I was thinking (and also, thats why I think that Webber isn't the driver of the day - he did have some mistakes and a better driver could profit even more from his car/strategy combo).

Strategy to start slow (back on the grid) and on hard tyres while having 3 sets of soft tyres in great condition could actually be a viable strategy in general.

My opinion is that top teams could try to get into Q3 (one set of soft tyres used for Q1 and Q2, you go easy on tyres in Q1, and do your best in Q2), then you run hard tyres in Q3 - yes, hard tyres.

You start 8-10th position on hard tyres, but you have one good set of soft tyres and 2 new sets of soft tyres. You lose no time on track being clogged up behind slower cars, and with drs + fresh tyres in 2nd and 3rd stint you can carve through field like a knife through butter. Then in last stint, you have new tyres vs. top running teams on old hard tyres - again you have no troubles passing them.

It's all about tyre managament and driving race in clear air - with clear air meaning that you either have clear air or you are 2s faster then the guy in front and can overtake easily.

Of course, to pull this strategy you need to have great overtaker driver (overtaking skill won Lewis Hamilton race today).

It really does seem like going out in Q1 just long enough to ensure you're over the 107% margin, then going back to the garage and saving the rest of your tires, is not a bad strategy.

No it doesn't.
If Webber (or Vettel) had did what Hamilton did in qualifying (hard tyre only in Q1, single hot lap in Q2 and a single run in Q3) and then did a 3-stop race it is likely that either one of them would have won the race.

Webber drove very well but even with 4 brand new sets available, 3rd was the best result he could achieve from P18

We are still to see how a safety car affects strategy. I would imagine in Turkey and certainly Canada, Lewis' decision to do 1 run in Q3 will be adopted by everyone.

LOL. In Canada I don't think it will make any difference. It is going to be "Wacky Races" no matter what.

Monaco will be interesting too. The soft and supersoft have been allocated. On most parts of the track the marbles have nowhere to go, I can see it being a bit of a mess!

If Webber had timed his run in Q1 better, he would have been able to get a second lap in on the hard tyres which should have warmed them up more and got him into Q2.
Redbull could probably exploit this strategy in future. They should be able to get into Q2 using 1 set of hard tyres at most events. With the speed of their car they might even be able to get into Q3 by reusing their hard tyres once more. In Q3 they could stay in the garage and start the race using softs. Imagine what Mark Webber could have done starting from 10th on softs, 3 stopping and then putting on a set of hards for the last charge to the finish.

But qualifying the car on or near the front is far better sponsor exposure than starting 18th, or even 10th. And if a safety car comes out and bunches up the field any potential gain has gone.
And a toal lottery with all these wanky 'supersoft' tyres anyway as the horrendous amount of marbles they leave make the track largely one lane.
I did not see the race Sunday but Mark must have been very brave to pass sometimes even with a fast car and a wide track, and he did not have the marginal benefits of KERS, though taking it off and leaing it in the pits would be an advantage it seems for Red Bull.
And remember Red Bulls engines are defenitly no better than Renaults, possible even a bit down spec.

If Red Bull can get their two cars into Q3 just using the hard tyre, they will slaughter the field regardless of where they start in the top ten.

There would certainly be no harm in trying but I don't think anyone has the raw pace to do that. Hamilton tried it in Malaysia you may recall (as, oddly, did both Mercedes in China).
With such a big step between the two compounds that have been used so far this year, setup involves lots of compromise. If you want to be very fast in qualifying on the soft tyre, you are going to have to give something up in terms of performance on the hard (and vice versa).

They may have to adopt a hockey format and bring in a Zamboni every 24 laps or so.

Top teams can wise up and put hards on for a short second stint though.

Pace with 10 to go beats track position on lap 20 after first stop any day.

How the hell could you possibly know that they won't change it? Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean it won't happen. Why would they risk making the show a piece of shit on saturday because they're too stubborn to give out 68 new tires?