Formula 1

Ecclestone puts the brakes on new Qualifying

A Qualifying-Revolution with tougher rules and more excitement this announcement caused a great stir. Not sure if this Format is used at all reason of doubt, in the case of F1 Boss Ecclestone.

Seven days Bernie Ecclestone needed to get out of the hottest story of the formula 1, the air let out. A
Qualifying-Revolution “- if possible before the start of the season” announced by the FIA last week. Then, Ecclestone reported several times, the number was smaller and smaller. And at the beginning of the last Tests in Barcelona even sure if the new Format comes at all.

“We must wait and see whether the changes announced are not tilted yet,” said the formula 1 chief of the business magazine “Forbes”. The Brit is not a big fan of the new idea, and now his Power. The formula 1 could paralyze this again – it is a story, the fighting tells a lot about confused decision-making processes and the tomb in the king class.

“That’s gone a bit pants, I’d say,” said Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg: “it looks to the outside is not very professional.” It had all started well. A kind of “trip to Jerusalem” should provide for more excitement during the chase, in the style of an elimination race would fly in every 90 seconds to the weakest rider out of it. The proposal made it through the strategy group and formula 1 Commission, the first two Decision-making bodies. The consensus in these bodies rarely enough, because the interests are often in opposite directions.

Ecclestone as Sand in the gearbox

Now only the approval of the motor sport world Council of the FIA, the waving of the applications is then normally, but only by missing. This should actually happen in this case. However, Ecclestone doesn’t like the thought of the new Format, “it is not actually what I wanted,” says the 85-Year-old. Now he seems to be very stubborn and want to block the proposal. He can, because his company, the formula 1 rights holder FOM is responsible for implementation.

The new rules should bring in Qualifying to an earlier time and more cars on the track

The planned introduction of the start of the season in Melbourne (20. March) was not possible, he said, the necessary Software will not be ready in time. “My boys from the time of sampling have told me: ‘Mr. E, why we are brought into such a Situation? We don’t get the so quickly,” said Ecclestone the BBC: “Since the FIA can do little, because we are responsible for. That’s all.”

At the earliest, to the Grand Prix of Spain in may it was implemented, says the Brit, knowing that such a major Change arrives in the middle of the season, neither Teams nor the Fan very well. Maybe Ecclestone now that the Council decides, in view of this Hick-Hacks, however, against the idea.

The representatives of the formula 1 are quite of his opinion: “We need to understand whether we can improve the Entertainment or whether it would be a Flop,” says Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene. Alex Wurz, Chairman of the drivers labor Union, does not believe in a “measurable success” and considers that an Amendment is simply unnecessary. “I think there has not been a single TV channel, with the Qualifying Format to be satisfied,” he said in an interview with Motorsport-Magazin.com

Race in Africa instead of Germany

In addition to the new qualifying format Ecclestone is also with the German racing companies are dissatisfied. The Briton has set the organizers of possible races on the nürburgring and the Hockenheim ring once again under pressure and at the same time, a race in Africa. A future of the “king’s class” in Germany was “in principle only a question of money,” said Ecclestone to the Handelsblatt.” In the past year that was
Race at the Nürburgring in the short term, not down, because Ecclestone had with the organisers on a contract. Negotiations with the operators of the Hockenheimring as a possible alternative site were unsuccessful. The track in Hockenheim has a contract for this year and the season of 2018, and must fear, then probably your Status.

“We wanted to Hockenheim Wake up last year a little bit,” moserte Ecclestone: “you still live twenty years behind the time, when I compare it with other events.” Finally, the Briton had already stressed that Hockenheim’s contract was in his view “not a very good contract”. A return of the nürburgring, had targeted the race in odd-numbered years, is currently unlikely, anyway.

He takes in the compilation of the calendar only due to the respect of tradition routes, Ecclestone shown in the past more often. This year, the Grand Prix of Europe in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, his debut in the formula 1. The chief promoter seeks new markets in the future, the formula 1 is to grow outside of Europe. “It looks that way,” he said: “I would like to see a race in Africa, where we have to drive so far at all. The first interviews we already have. And maybe another race in the USA, let’s see.” Recently, there had been in 1993 at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in front of the gates of Johannesburg in South Africa, a formula 1 race on African soil.

asz/jw (dpa, sid)