Good riddance as new F1 qualifying format scrapped

Formula 1's disastrous new qualifying format lasted just one race after it was ditched by red-faced team bosses.

Despite getting the tick of approval last month, the sport will now revert back to last year's system following a meeting of team principals and race director Charlie Whiting at Melbourne's Albert Park paddock on Sunday.

Their decision was unanimous, and the change, which still needs to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, will come into place for the next race in Bahrain in a fortnight's time.

Saturday's new elimination-style qualifying session, which sees a driver knocked out every 90 seconds, was mired in farce.

With six minutes of the final of three timed sessions remaining, Ferrari decided to save their tyres for the race, and after seeing their rivals remain in their garage, Mercedes decided to follow suit.

Hamilton and Rosberg were called back into the pits, and with four minutes left of qualifying, millions of furious fans across the world were left staring at an empty track.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said: "It is pretty embarrassing. We are a global sport, millions o f spectators, and we have changed the rules in an erratic way, which we shouldn't have done.''

It is not the first time the sport has changed qualifying midway through the season - in 2005, an unpopular format based on aggregate laps was given the boot after just six races - but for a rule to last essentially one hour is somewhat of a rarity, even in the peculiar world of Formula One.

GrandPrix247 readers were unanimous in their dislike for the format with 98% agreeing it was flop.

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