New Qualifying format a flop or not?

[Nitrodaze]

We watched the new qualifying format for the first time in action in Melbourne and what do we think? The first think l notice is the impact of commentating. There was little opportunity for typical chat about the car, the driving, strategies and track conditions etc. It was mostly about the time and the commentators had very little time to talk about anything else.

The new format only had a real effect in the mid fields. Qualifying three was a real flop as the teams that made it through only applied effort to attain the positions they realistically expect to be. There were fewer cars banging out lap times to better their position hence it was dull from the ticket paying spectators point of view.

The worrying thing was that qualifying has become alot more predictable. The count down time has sapped the excitement of crescendo that typically happen at the end of each qualifying session. It is very clear that it would not work going forward. Most of the team principles do not think it worked as anticipated. And there are calls already for this qualifying format t be dropped. I personally think it was crap. I wonder what you think.

[truefan72]

flop

[Rollo]

I personally thing it was crap. I wonder what you think.

I think it's awesome because I don't have to sit through any of them

I think that it's what Pay TV subscribers should get. Pay TV deserves this.
Taking half the races away from free-to-air is rubbish.

Rupert. This is your fault.

[Nitrodaze]

I think it's awesome because I don't have to sit through any of them

I think that it's what Pay TV subscribers should get. Pay TV deserves this.
Taking half the races away from free-to-air is rubbish.

Rupert. This is your fault.

You are right, the pay TV subscribers got stung with a crap show. And the Ticket spectators also got stung with a confusing show with less car action than the last qualifying system. Whoever came up with this idea should get an Oscar [or racing equivalent] for worst F1 idea ever.

[steveaki13]

Terrible but very funny for me sitting at home. I mean who thought it would work? Stupid idea for spicing up the show and the organisers deserve the ridicule.

However the fans in the stands have been robbed. We had a few crazy minutes, but then cars in the pits most of the time going out, cars stopping half way round a good lap. Unless you were listening to radio or glued to a screen at the circuit you must have been confused.

Topped off by no runners in the final 5 minutes of quali.

It was the joke it deserved to be.

[zako85]

This new format is great to prevent the genuine fans from watching the qualifying sessions. It was a disaster.

I honestly don't know why I need to DVR and watch the quali sessions in future. It's pointless.

[Mark]

I didn't mind it in concept but the idea is to keep action on the track and it failed in that regard. It needs changes it doesn't necessarily have to go in the bin. But I doubt anyone would be bothered if we ditched it entirely.

[AndyL]

Q1 was pretty crazy, and you could call it entertainment I guess. Q2 started seeing cars parking up early and a lot of drivers out of the car and settling for their position long before they were timed out. Q3 was a disaster. Every single driver had got out of their cars, shaken the hands of their mechanics, been weighed, and gone out the back of the garages before the chequered flag.

On the other hand, great news for the TV channels showing highlights packages. They can edit out all the dead time and it will probably look pretty good. They now have better qualifying coverage than the channels showing it live.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I didn't mind it in concept but the idea is to keep action on the track and it failed in that regard. It needs changes it doesn't necessarily have to go in the bin. But I doubt anyone would be bothered if we ditched it entirely.

I think cars would have to be on track throughout the whole session for it to work as intended.

[inimitablestoo]

After Q1 I thought it was working. I very quickly revised that opinion completely. Difficult to see how we would have got any different a grid under the previous system, bar maybe the odd car being in or out that wouldn't have been expected.

It's the Melbourne fans I feel sorriest for. Every winter it seems F1 comes up with some madcap scheme to spice up the show and, as the first race, it's the Aussies who bear the brunt of the not thought through regs. And more than once, that system gets discarded and replaced with something more sensible before too long...