Towards a return to the 2015 format in qualifying

Exit the new qualifying format introduced in 2016? This is what should happen at the next Chinese Grand Prix on April 17. After a day of twists and turns in the soap opera which animates the paddock from Melbourne, where the teams had sent a letter to the attention of Jean Todt, president of the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, big financier of the F1, indicating their wish to see the 2015 format reinstated for the qualifications, the governing bodies seem to have acceded to the teams' request.

However, both the International Federation and the FOM seemed reluctant to see a novelty of this 2016 season disappear, which however quickly provoked numerous criticisms. The format with eliminations every 1'30 in the second part of Q1, Q2 or Q3 did not find a favorable response among the pilots and the stables.

“Following the unanimous request of the teams, expressed in a letter received today, Jean Todt, President of the FIA ​​and Bernie Ecclestone, representative of the commercial rights holder, agree, in the interest of the Championship, to submit to the F1 Commission and the World Motor Sport Council, the proposal to return to the qualifying format in force in 2015. is indicated in the press release from the International Federation.

Furthermore, the teams put forward the idea of ​​a global reflection on the format of a weekend for 2017, which was well received by the governing bodies of the discipline.