The Australian Grand Prix marked the debut of a new qualifying system which featured an elimination style format. The new system proves to be quite a disappointment and the F1 team bosses unanimously agreed to abandon the new qualifying and revert to last season’s rules before Bahrain, but this plan didn’t receive the support that it required.
On the morning before the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, the F1 teams held a meeting where they unanimously agreed to ditch the new system before Bahrain. The proposal was moved to the F1 Commission and Strategy Group, but it did not receive a unanimous vote, largely because of Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt. This means that the old qualifying system will not return in Bahrain, but there is another issue.
A second proposal was launched to make changes to the new format, specifically the third qualifying session, to prevent the empty track that the fans saw in Australia. The vote passed the F1 Commission, but it failed at the FIA World Motor Sport Council, which was also required to achieve a unanimous agreement.
As a result of the failed proposals, Bahrain will also see the new qualifying system in action. This decision comes shortly after the Grand Prix Drivers Association called for a redesign of the sport’s government to prevent regulation changes like these that can negatively impact the sport and its image.
It’s unclear whether there is any plan to propose further changes to or the deletion of the new qualifying format in the future. As for right now, the rules will remain as is, despite the negative opinions that were expressed by many after the first qualifying in Australia.
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