Formula One will scrap its new-look qualifying system after it proved to be an unredeemed disaster on its debut for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s CEO, described the new system as “pretty crap” and said it could be changed before the next race, in Bahrain on 3 April.
The new format was designed to spice up the grid on Sundays, with drivers eliminated one by one, leading to a top‑two shootout for pole on Saturday afternoons. But instead the track fell silent here in the closing minutes, as some drivers chose instead to save their rubber for the race.
In the opening session, drivers were eliminated when unable to complete their final quick laps in time, often having misjudged the calculation required to beat the clock.
Q2 presented similar problems, with the time needed to go to the pits, change tyres and refuel leaving the slower runners unable to undertake final fast laps before they were counted out, thus being eliminated while in the pits.
This highlighted the central problem with the new system: that there is no time for these slower cars to do anything in reaction to dropping into the elimination zone. The final session was most invidious, however, when six of the final eight runners (only Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg returned to the track) opted to set one time and conserve their tyres for Sunday. In doing so they made a mockery of the elimination process as each was duly, solemnly, counted out while in their garages.
Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, said: “It didn’t really work for me and we should apologise to the fans here. We didn’t put on a great show. We need to learn from it. The important things is not to stick our head in the sand, address it properly first. I would prefer to go back to the qualifying sessions we had, but that is my personal opinion.”
The Mercedes motorsport director, Toto Wolff, described the new system as “rubbish”, adding: “We need to discuss it. Everyone is trying to do their best to improve the show and, if we haven’t, we need talk about it. The solution is not good in my opinion and that is why we have to look at it again.”
While a meeting was called for Sunday, Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ nonexecutive chairman, described the new format as the “worst decision ever made in Formula One” and “like digging in the toilet”. He added: “Everyone makes mistakes – and this is a big mistake.”
The leading drivers were equally critical of the format after Hamilton had won his 50th pole. His team-mate, Rosberg, who finished second, said: “It’s the wrong way so let’s go back.”
Vettel, in third, said: “I don’t know why everyone is surprised. We had to wait and see and now we have seen and it isn’t very exciting. It is a bit crazy at the beginning with everyone pushing and trying to get a lap in. It is busy, but for no reason. But for the people in the grandstands, it is not the right way when there are no cars to see and you want to see people pushing to the limit for pole position.”
A few hours later, as deep darkness enveloped the circuit, there appeared to be more sympathy for the new rule. Bob Fernley, Force India’s deputy team principal, said: “Q1 and Q2 were good, so why not adjust rather than abandon it? Before we get excited it could be worthwhile thinking about it.”
The Pirelli tyre boss, Paul Hembery, said: “These are early days. If you make too many changes too quickly you risk making things worse.”
Wolff, though, had not changed his mind. He said: “I think we got it wrong. The basic concept was not completely stupid. The idea of dropping a driver every 90 seconds could trigger more variable results. The obvious choice is to return to where we were before. I don’t think anybody here would be saying he was in favour of this qualifying system But we have to change it very quickly to reinstall the old system for Bahrain.”