Fernando Alonso Saddened By F1's Qualifying Confusion

Fernando Alonso has said he is saddened by the current state of F1 and lambasted the current saga over proposed changes to qualifying. The Spaniard admits he doesn't mind if the format changes, but thinks it looks wrong for a professional sport to change their plans three times within a week.

During the first pre-season test in Barcelona it emerged that a new continuous knockout format had been agreed by the F1 Commission. This was followed by news from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone that the new style qualifying could not be introduced until Spain as new software had to be developed. However, there was a further twist during the second pre-season test when it was leaked that a new proposal could see Q1 and Q2 at the season-opening Australian GP adopt the new system, with Q3 remaining as it is.

Alonso said “It is sad, I am sad. I am sad for the sport because it doesn't look right from the outside when in one week we change the qualifying format three times. Well, we pretend to change, but no one “officialises” anything. If I was a sportsman from another sport I would look at Formula 1 a bit surprised. I don't think it is right and there are too many changes. The complexity of the rules for the spectators is quite high. All my friends here in Spain want to switch on the televisions and watch battles in big cars, big tyres, big noise and enjoy the race like they do with other sports. But with us they need to know know about MGU-H, MGU-K, state of charge, supersoft, mandatory, medium, when you are fourth in the race three laps from the end you need to stop because you have to put another tyre on that is mandatory. Things like that, it is normal that they switch off their televisions”.

Given a choice of qualifying format, Alonso has suggested a return to the single-lap format used in the latter part of 2005. Then drivers took to the track one at a time in the reverse order of the previous races result. They then had one lap to set a time that would decide their grid position.