F1 set to scrap plans for additional Q4 session

Formula 1 is unlikely to change its qualifying format for the 2020 season after the official sporting regulations for the new season were published.

Talks in recent months have suggested that Liberty Media was looking at the possibility of adding a fourth segment of qualifying, in order to increase the amount of track time for the cars.

In this discussed method, four cars would be knocked out of Q1, Q2 and Q3, before the top eight fight it out in Q4. The top eight would start the race on the tyre they set their fast lap in Q4 on.

The idea didn't receive large support from the teams, as the limit on the number of tyres available to them would prevent them from spending more time on the circuit.

Teams concluded that the situation would make Q4 anti-climatic as there would be either only one runs or none at all.

Racing Point's technical director Andy Green said: "It doesn't make a lot of sense to us.  There's a lack of tyres, and it seems to promote the top three teams even further ahead. That to me doesn't seem like closing the field up and making for better racing.

"Qualifying is probably one of the least broken parts. For the moment the qualifying spectacle works, and it does what we set out for it to do all those years ago.

"We've tried tweaking it a few times, and it hasn't really made it any better."

Now that the regulations have been published, only a unanimous decision from all teams to change the format for 2020 will allow for the switch.