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F1's qualifying debacle of 2016 continues, as team bosses on Thursday pleaded with authorities to revert to last year's successful format. With the 'musical chairs' system slammed on all sides after Australia and Bahrain, the teams made clear their desire to scrap it but the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone have ruled out simply going back to the 2015 format.
The teams have instead been asked for their input on a brand new system for China and beyond, where two laps per driver in the Q1, Q2 and Q3 segments would be aggregated. But ahead of the vote on Thursday, it emerged that the eleven team bosses have signed a letter addressed to Ecclestone, his paymasters at CVC and FIA president Jean Todt, urging them to revert to the 2015 format. The BBC said the bosses claim aggregate qualifying would only add more "complexity".
Mathias Bruner, writing in Speed Week, predicted: "The letter will change little, as why would Todt and Ecclestone respond differently in writing than they did directly to the team bosses in Bahrain?" "The bottom line is, if we don't agree to a compromise then we are stuck with what we've got and I think everyone agrees that what we've got isn't right," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. (GMM)
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
Replies (3)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Yes, I think this might be the best thing to do. Its not like that format didnt work, it feels more like they changed it just to make a change so they could tell us that they werent just sitting there, rolling their thumbs. The concept of this new system looked promising at first, but they gave it two tries and didnt remedy the issues with it and it didnt solve what they tried to remedy: low amounts of car on the track.
Pompey
Posts: 84
At the start of each qualifying 1, 2, 3, each team do one lap on the pit limiter, then sit in the pits until the powers that be start to listen. The grid could be interesting.
mclarenfan1968
Posts: 1,027
These clowns can't make up their minds, we'll see if even THIS decision sticks come China GP