After taking a phone call from F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone ahead of his Saturday evening press conference, Wolff said there is already a desire to change the rules ahead of the next race.
Advertisement
Eight drivers contested the final segment but after putting in an early effort all but two – Hamilton and Nico Rosberg – ventured out to try and save themselves.
“I watched it, but I have to say I wasn’t enthusiastic about it from day one”, the F1 boss told Autosport. All my engineers were saying it would be the case, they told the FIA but they ignored them.
During a group interview at this weekend’s 2016 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, connecting with fans, improving interaction and levelling the playing field with engine parity were hot topics.
“I don’t have the solution”.
So widespread is the condemnation of the format up and down pitlane that nearly no one doubts an ultra-rare unanimous vote of the team bosses to axe it will be made nearly immediately. The obvious change is to go back to what we had before, it’s in the regulations, but if we were to invent a different format we need to think carefully about what that should be.
“You can’t say no, no, no, all the time, so this time we felt maybe it’s worth exploring and see how it is and the conclusion is it is not good”. “It’s not very exciting”.
“My personal view is we should go back to what we had before the next race because what we saw is not good for Formula 1”.
However, it is not the drivers who were disappointed.
“The drivers need to be more seen, we need to get more access and engage with fans more”, said Horner, to whom Australia’s only F1 contender, Daniel Ricciardo, reports.
“I didn’t like the fact that the fast cars didn’t have a right of reply”. But this is what we’ve got, until we can change it. The only thing about this [format] is that the quick guys could have run off the road, or done anything a little bit silly, and then you would get a mixed-up grid, which is what we wanted.
“I think stability is important at this moment and keeping it simple”. “If some people want to give a change to this qualifying format there won’t be unanimity, and we can’t change anything”. I think there are issues; I think we always thought there probably would be in the first round. “Everyone makes mistakes – this is a big mistake”.
Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff bluntly described the new rules as “rubbish”.
Advertisement
Mercedes boss Wolff said that while there would not be any further tinkering with the qualifying system over the rest of the season, F1 “shouldn’t wipe completely off the table” the idea of creating a new format to spice up the show in future.
