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Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed reports the controversial 'musical chairs' qualifying format could actually have survived the 2016 season opener. After the farcical debut session in Melbourne last Saturday, team bosses got together before Sunday's race and voted unanimously to scrap it ahead of Bahrain.
"I was also confused as it was the first run and all the variables couldn't have been predicted, like how everything was decided in Q3," F1 supremo Ecclestone told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday. "We can improve." Indeed, reports earlier on Thursday suggested that the only proposal forwarded to the F1 Commission for approval by fax this week is actually a hybrid combination of the new format and the former, popular 2015 qualifying.
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"The teams are discussing that and they want to go back (to the 2015 format)," Ecclestone said. "If I were to give an opinion, I would say we will continue with the format from Australia." It is believed the Bahrain format could be the 'musical chairs' elements with 90 second eliminations for Q1 and Q2, before a 2015-style Q3.
"I am a prudent man, and new things must be tested," Ecclestone continued. "The new qualifying caused a bit of shock, but maybe we can salvage the good of the format. I am an entrepreneur and I must sell F1 to the race organisers. That is why I have to find the best solution and why having riders eliminated every 90 seconds could be exciting," he added. (GMM)
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C. Sainz jr
Replies (7)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Of course he want to keep that format, he was the one who suggested it. If he wouldnt want to keep it, it'd seem as if he had made a mistake, and we all know Eccie would never admit he'd make one of those. ;)
mbmwe36
Posts: 533
I liked the musical chairs qualifying format, except, obviously, for Q3. But I also think that part of what made it so entertaining is that the teams by and large didn't have a plan in place beforehand. And that led to some interesting situations. So they might as well keep the old format, because I don't think it'll make much of a difference once the teams get used to the new one, and with Q3 being what it was, I'm not sure I see the point in trying to salvage it.
That being said, these last minute rule changes to a so-called world championship series make it seem very bush league
f1dave
Posts: 782
There was nothing good to salvage.
khasmir
Posts: 893
If they want to save this new concept it will need significant changes.
But for me there is no point to save it, it's too artificial and doesn't do what they wanted it to do. Unless there is a real drama Merc will still be 1 & 2, same as with the old format.
Not many seem interested in this but I still think success ballast is an easy and cheap way to even out the cars a bit.
RacetoWin
Posts: 95
It wasn't the rules that let the fans down, it was the teams.
but if the qualifying goes as listed above teams need to setup for it, i would also see a 1 set of tires rule added.
*if there was a tire rule to go with the new qualifying then it should look like this.
you can use any set of tires but only allow 1 set for the entire qualifying, the race tire will be the same compound as used in the qualifying.
team drivers should stay on track in Q1 and Q2, set car up for 4 laps, this will allow driver to defend the 90 second elimination, infact the bottom 3 drivers should defend as they can drop down.
Q3, 2 flying laps early in session and 1 late, use regular time and setup as last years Q3.
you can make the tire rule different for Q3 and allow drivers to change tires once but must start on those used tires. places 11+ get to start on new tires as listed above.
f1dave
Posts: 782
Yea, that's not confusing.
Pompey
Posts: 84
How about the teams sticking it to that Eccles fruitcake and stay with the 2015 format, or just sit in the garage for Q3? It's time someone gave him the headache he wants to inflict on everyone else.