SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

F1 learned a lesson from qualifying fiasco

Williams deputy team principal says Formula One learned it needed to take more time to consider proposals following the qualifying fiasco.

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams says Formula One learned a lesson from the qualifying fiasco that overshadowed the opening races of the season in Australia and Bahrain.

"I think that we have learned that we need to take more time to consider the proposals that come to us," she said at a breakfast meeting on Monday after her team published their annual results.

"You don't want to play out scenarios like that in the public arena. They should be done behind the scenes. I do think we've learned the lesson."

Formula One started the season with a new elimination format that was put to teams and accepted only weeks before the March 20 opener in Melbourne.

The aim was to shake up the starting grid, and provide more excitement during the Saturday session, but it was immediately declared a failure by both teams and fans who made their opposition evident on social media.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Instead of producing a shoot-out for pole at the end of the third and final phase, drivers were eliminated while sitting in the garages with minutes remaining on the clock and nothing happening on track.

The decision to revert, from this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, was taken last week when teams rejected a compromise proposal.

International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt and the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said they had accepted the move "in the interests of the Championship".

They also welcomed a proposal by the teams to have a "global assessment of the format of the weekend for 2017".

Williams expressed relief at the outcome.

"It's obviously what the fans want...it's certainly what our partners want," she said.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world