Moves are afoot to scrap Formula One's new 'back-to-back' qualifying system. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was in Melbourne to watch the debut of the Saturday-system and called it and Ferrari's dominance no less than a 'disaster.'
"[Ferrari] were supposed to have all sorts of problems with tyres and their engines but it doesn't look like they have," he said on Saturday after the one-two. Ecclestone also said the one-engine regulation, designed to cut costs and give the independent teams cheap engines, was 'terrible' and way too long for television.
BAR boss Dave Richards has already put-forward an alternative where a free-for-all session takes place for 30-minutes before a single-lap dash for the grid.
Another suggestion favoured by Ecclestone is to have a one hour qualifying session with each driver having to complete twelve laps like before. The only difference would be that each driver would be forced to complete 6 laps in the first half hour, and the other 6 in the second half.
Former champion Niki Lauda called the system the 'worst thing' he'd ever seen. 'I don't know how intelligent people can think of things like this,' he said.
Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello agreed, insisting that there is no motivation to drive fast in the first back-to-back and that Friday practice is now 'boring.'
Renault chief Flavio Briatore confirmed that the team bosses will get-together to discuss changing the system, possibly in time for the Malaysian Grand Prix. 'Something can be done quickly if we all say 'yes, do it',' the Italian added. 'Only the stupid never change their minds. Then again, this is very stupid.'
Ecclestone favours a return to the one-hour long free-for-all qualifying. 'Basically, he said it is much too long a thing for television and I agree,' said the first grand prix winner of the new F1 season, Michael Schumacher.
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