The sport’s governing body the FIA, the commercial rights holder, and the teams met at the end of February to thrash out a technical regulation package for 2017, but the only agreement reached was on unscheduled changes to the way the grid is decided, blindsiding the paddock and fans alike.
Since 2006 Formula One has used a three-part qualifying format. One set of drivers are eliminated after each of the first two sessions, leaving 10 drivers to compete for pole in the third session.
Changes proposed late last month were for qualifying to be run over three unequal sessions: a Q1 of 16 minutes, a Q2 of 15 minutes and a Q3 of 14 minutes. All 22 cars will compete in Q1, but after seven minutes the slowest car will be eliminated from the session, and every 90 seconds thereafter the slowest car at the time will be similarly sent back to its garage until 15 cars remain.
Those 15 cars progress to Q2, where the same format prevails after six minutes. Eight cars will then progress to Q3, where drivers are progressively eliminated after five minutes until just two remain to battle for pole position.
Bernie Ecclestone – who earlier that week told London’s Daily Mail that the sport he holds a stake in is “the worst it has ever been” – immediately poured cold water over the changes when he told the FIA that the necessary timing systems and graphics for the television world broadcast feed couldn’t be readied in time.
The sport temporarily debated introducing the changes in Spain for the fourth round of the season, but a midyear change in weekend format was widely panned as being unsporting.
The proposed changes to be submitted to the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) for approval were then changed again, with the first two sessions running as amended but with Q3 using the format of 2015, with eight cars battling for pole for the entirety of the allotted time.
Less than one week later, however, the WMSC rubber-stamped the original changes, apparently despite Ecclestone’s original insistence that he couldn’t be ready in time, but left significant wiggle room for the Australian Grand Prix stewards to make the decision on the day.
“The new system should be introduced for the first round of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship,” read the FIA’s statement.
Pre-season testing had barely begun but already the Formula One season had become overshadowed by ugly politics.
“I’m sad for the sport because it doesn't look right from the outside when in one week we change the qualifying format three times,” said two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
“I don't think it’s right. There are too many changes, and the complexity of the rules for the spectators is quite high.”
Alonso’s commentary will resonate with the vast majority of Formula One fans, who are undoubtedly tired of the politicking trespassed in their name and for the sake of “improving the show”, but which inevitably hoists the sport further away from its audience and into the realms of the incomprehensible.
Unfortunately it seems the chaos that has reigned behind the scenes is now spilling onto the circuit – just as the 2016 season was beginning to stretch its legs.
The Australian Grand Prix, round one of the 2016 F1 season, runs from 18–20 March.
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