Formula 1

New Qualifying is a Farce

Familiar picture during Qualifying for the formula 1 opener in Melbourne: in the front of a Mercedes. However, the new qualification mode for Chaos on the track and not far from the desired effect.

Exactly 60 minutes it took, because the new Qualifying Format to the formula 1 was already in ruins. The
Premiere of the excretion mode’ at the Grand Prix of Australia was a mockery, it was Chaos on the track and in the pit, the pilots ended the hunt for the Pole early. Nevertheless, the favorites were at the end of the front:
World champion Lewis Hamilton has underlined at the start of the new formula 1 season to its favorite status and the Pole Position for the race on Sunday (Start 6:00 PM CET, in the DW live Ticker for this). The Mercedes-Pilot turned in Qualifying
Melbourne is the fastest lap and his teammate Nico Rosberg and Ferrari Star Sebastian Vettel pointed to the places two and three.

“The car felt good, he moved well. There’s a wonderful rhythm,” said Hamilton, who had already been shot in all three training sessions, the fastest lap. Some “sexy round” he hazards, he said, and, smiling, said, with reference to an American Soul legend: “At the end of the round it feels like James Brown.” Kudos got Hamilton of Mercedes Motorsport Toto Wolff: “This Boy can drive.”

However, it was also Wolff, who was then the long line of critics: “I always say, we should not publicly talk bad about the formula 1,” he said. “But I think the new Qualifying Format is stupid.”

Back to the tried and tested?

After the first performance of the most prominent representatives of the king class want to back to the old mode. You feel confirmed, because even before the start of the season the drivers had communicated to her lack of understanding about the measure.

Until the end of the last season, all of the remaining riders were allowed to ride the relevant section (Q1, Q2, Q3) until the end of the best, and only then was settled in the time table. The voltage was always up to the end. Now of the three sections in the 90-second cycle is the weakest of all drivers will be eliminated after a roll-in phase in each.

But forced to drive early out of the Box, especially the tires sooner to reduce. At the end of the Qualifying clock was ticking, but the best driver had already stepped out of their cars. “That’s just wrong,” said Vettel: “At the end of the people had seen in the stands, nothing more.”

The two, who have known Lewis Hamilton (l.) and Sebastian Vettel (R)

The press conference of the best three drivers of the qualifying session on Saturday to stand under the Motto: “We told you so”. Sebastian Vettel was already sitting in Jeans on the Podium, totally unusual so soon after Qualifying – but like so many of the pilots of the Ferrari driver had aborted the chase at an early stage. “I don’t know why all are so surprised,” he said: “We have said that it is not that the Format works.” Pole-Setter Lewis Hamilton continued in the same vein, and his Mercedes team’s rival Nico Rosberg said: “It is good that the formula tried 1 New. But this is not the right way.”

Well-intentioned – poorly made

The introduction of two weeks prior to the season had caused a shake of the head, in the framework of the implementation it came to a dispute between the FIA and the rights holder Bernie Ecclestone. The findings from Melbourne to make the “Qualifying Revolution” is now a rather embarrassing Chapter, something like that can not afford the viewers a fighting king class at the moment actually.

“We have complicated things in a time in which we should try to simplify,” said Wolff. Already for the next race in Bahrain will now be discussed whether, again, the old mode is used. “We must be quick,” said Wolff. And Red Bull team boss Christian Horner apologized to the Fans: “It was well-intentioned, but it is wrong. What we saw today was not good for formula 1.”

Hulkenberg and Wehrlein in the back of the box

Nico Hulkenberg had to be content in Qualifying in his Force India, with space for ten. For the Grand Prix, he is still confident. “The first race always has the potential to be unpredictable and eventful,” said Hulkenberg. Debutant Pascal Wehrlein was only a very brief qualification. The 21-Year-old benefited from a penalty for his Manor team-mate Rio Haryanto and is second-to-Last of a total of 22 pilots in the Grand Prix at Albert Park. “The race is a different story altogether,” he said.

asz/ck (sid, dpa)