A new qualifying format for Formula One has been approved by the FIA, regulatory body of the sport. This new format includes live elimination at each session of the qualifying which will now be implemented from the first race at Albert Park, Australia.
New qualifying format approved by FIA
The new format which was initially proposed by the F1 commission and Strategy Group got a positive response from majority of the teams and drivers. However, a few of the drivers have voiced their personal concerns regarding complicating the qualifying rules further. Lewis Hamilton has also gone ahead and questioned the direction the sport is taking with all such changes.
Claire Williams, team principle at Williams F1 team supports the new format and feels that it will result in a more competitive and exciting session of qualifying. She said that the judgement regarding the new system should be reserved for after the first qualifying round at Australian Grand Prix.
Formula One legend, Alan Prost has warned that the new qualifying format might not yield the expected results. He doubts the intent behind changing the existing format of qualifying which was widely regarded as being one of the few positive aspects left in the sport. He said, “It seems that everybody wants to change something in F1, but if you change in only one area, it does little for the whole package.”
Earlier, Force India driver, Sergio Perez had commented that the qualifying rules are complicated for the fans and that there was no reason to change the qualifying format.
Tags: Australian Grand Prix, F1, FIA, Force India, Formula One, Motorsport, Motorsports, Sport, Williams
