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F1 Bahrain GP: Wolff slams move to stop elimination qualifying drop

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has hit out at the move to prevent the scrapping of the much maligned elimination qualifying format after the option to drop it was not made available by the sport's organisers.

Panned for being confusing and lacking any spectacle, the new format drew criticism across the board, with Mercedes boss Wolff himself labelling it 'pretty rubbish', while Christian Horner says fans deserved an apology for the farce.

However, though team bosses agreed unanimously to scrap the format and return to the erstwhile knockout format in use since 2006, they were unable to enforce the change officially after the only options made available by the FIA and FOM were to keep the format or tweak it.

With no unanimous verdict able to be reached as a result, the format remains as it is for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

It is an outcome that has drawn ire of teams, with Wolff suggesting it is a baffling move at a time when F1 is already under massive scrutiny for the way its decisions are made and enforced.

"This weekend we will see the new qualifying system continue after a less-than-impressive debut in Australia. The teams were unanimous in their opinion of it on Sunday in Melbourne and it wasn't a positive opinion. We haven't found the right format with this change and it's hard to see how it might be more entertaining for the fans this weekend in Bahrain.

"The sport is under scrutiny on this matter, so careful thought is required in order to make coordinated, intelligent steps forward from the position we are in right now.

"The fans want close racing, in a format they can understand, between the best drivers and cars in the world - in that order. We should be capable of delivering that to the people in the grandstands and watching around the world."

Zdroj: crash.net