Knockout qualifying format for Formula 1

It was announced yesterday (24/2/16) that Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, has confirmed that a live knockout-style qualifying system is due to be introduced to the sport, potentially for the 2016 season.

It emerged following the latest meetings of the F1 Strategy Group and F1 Commission in Geneva on Tuesday (23/6/16) that a revised qualifying format had been discussed.

Under the new qualifying system, the format of having Q1, Q2 and Q3 will be retained, but the elimination process will be modified.

In Q1, seven drivers will be knocked out one-by-one, and again in Q2, leaving eight for Q3, with six gradually eliminated before two go head-to-head for pole position.

Proposals were unanimously accepted by the F1 Commission.

Planned F1 elimination process:

Q1:

• 16 minutes
• After 7 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
• Slowest driver eliminated every 90 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
• 7 drivers eliminated, 15 drivers go into Q2

Q2:

• 15 minutes
• After 6 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
• Slowest driver eliminated every 90 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
• 7 drivers eliminated, 8 drivers go into Q3

Q3:

• 14 minutes
• After 5 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
• Slowest driver eliminated every 90 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
• 2 drivers left in final 90 seconds

Final eliminations in each session will occur at the chequered flag, not when the time is up.

And so here is my opinion on this, if it ain't broken don't fix it. I wouldn't be surprise it was a Bernie Ecclestone idea, I personally believe it going to make qualifying like a video game and making the new qualifying overly complicated and trivial to the natural viewer let alone to a die hard fan of the sport.

An idea what #F1 qualifying will be like this season. Qualifying is not the problem, it's the races are the problem. pic.twitter.com/Od6IH520Dd

— J H (@jhonmotorsport) February 25, 2016

As the previous qualifying concept from 2006 onwards has worked and has been sometimes the most exciting part of the weekend as the qualifying is not the problem, it's the races that are the problem.

The main issue for me is the failure of the F1 Strategy Group, personally I would fire everyone who is in that F1 Strategy Group because they have not address any actual problems like following other cars to help overtaking, reducing cost of an Formula 1 power-unit for smaller F1 teams, reducing costs for teams and instead distracting themselves with answers to questions people were not evening asking. Remember mid-2014 when they thought introducing standing re-starts following a safety-car periods was a good idea and would excited the sport, thankfully that rule got rejected.

My final thought this is, the fans and drivers alike don't like or concussed with the new qualifying concept at all, why change qualifying at all and fix the other problems that need fixing.