The countdown is nothing IMO, you are permitted to start qualifying as soon as you are in the pit garage.

Quote from bozo :

I have a question concerning when qualification actually starts.

When your car first appears in the pit, there is a countdown until the qualification starts. What is the significance of that countdown?

I have always assumed that is the countdown after which the qualifying period starts, and as long as you are still within the pitlane until the countdown completes, then there is no harm in exiting the pit immediately.

The countdown doesn't mean jack as Dan says but I think it's a good suggestion cos one driver may start at the end of the pit and be able to get on track just as the countdown finnishes, not that he would really even be able to gain an extra lap from it though.. I think to keep people In the PITLANE at least ,until the countdown goes it sensible, as you seem to get a big group of drivers going out a.s.a.p some like myself who wait for 6-10 seconds before going, and others who go after THAT. So i'm sure it has occured that someone was able to go Full-throttle before the countdown ended or in other words; (was over the pitlane speed limit line).