New proposal to be voted on at further meeting on Thursday
Monday 4 April 2016 14:29, UK
A meeting between F1 team bosses, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA in Bahrain has ended without agreement on what format the sport should use in qualifying.
A new meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss a fresh proposal.
Sky Sports understands that the proposal on the table involves a system of aggregate times being used in Q1, Q2 and Q3, with Pirelli providing extra sets of tyres.
'So the new suggested qualy format apparently involves aggregate times, a word that should only be associated with Tarmac and concrete,' tweeted Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle. 'Not F1'.
Have your say: Vote for the format you'd like used in qualifying
According to Red Bull boss Christian Horner, race promoters and the FIA are reluctant for the sport to return to the format used last season.
"The bottom line is if we don't agree to a compromise then we are stuck with what we have got and I think everyone agrees that what we currently have isn't right," Horner told Sky Sports News HQ.
"We've got a proposal on the table to vote on by Thursday and hopefully we can find a sensible conclusion that gives the right thing for the fans."
Claire Williams revealed to Sky Sports News HQ that one of the new proposals for teams to consider was not the 2015 system, or a hybrid of 2015 and 2016s rules, but a completely new format.
"This is a whole new proposal, the last one was a hybrid that kept the 2016 Q1 and Q2 then brought in 2015 for Q3," she said.
"I think most people felt that wouldn't achieve what we wanted it to achieve so coming up with a totally revised proposal was the goal for everyone and that is what that meeting was about this morning."
Why was qualifying unchanged for the Bahrain GP?
FIA president Jean Todt refused to give any details as to what the new proposal was, but hoped it would satisfy fans.
"You need to be patient, by Thursday you will have all the information," he said. "I hope that fans will be happy."
However, even if a new system is approved on Thursday, Williams is unsure if it will be implemented for the Chinese GP later this month, round three of the new F1 season.
"I think like all these things we want time and we left the changes from Melbourne too late. We are trying to change things as quickly as possible, but when you are flying around the world people are here there and everywhere," said the deputy team principal.
"It isn't easy coming up with new solutions so if anyone has any ideas please tell us."
