Proposals for Saturday format changed three times in seven days
Saturday 5 March 2016 10:49, UK
Fernando Alonso says he is 'saddened' by the current state of F1 and lambasted the current saga over proposed changes to qualifying.
The Spaniard admits he doesn't mind if the format changes, but thinks it looks wrong for a professional sport to change their plans three times within a week.
"It is sad, I am sad. I am sad for the sport because it doesn't look right from the outside when in one week we change the qualifying format three times. Well, we pretend to change, but no one 'officialises' anything," Alonso said.
During the first pre-season test in Barcelona it emerged that a new continuous knockout format had been agreed by the F1 Commission. This was followed by news from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone that the new style qualifying could not be introduced until Spain as new software had to be developed.
However, there was a further twist during the second pre-season test when it was leaked that a new proposal could see Q1 and Q2 at the season-opening Australian GP adopt the new system, with Q3 remaining as it is.
"If I was a sportsman from another sport I would look at Formula 1 a bit surprised. I don't think it is right and there are too many changes," added Alonso.
The double world champion went on to hit out at the current regulations and blamed them for driving fans away from F1.
"The complexity of the rules for the spectators is quite high," he added. "All my friends here in Spain want to switch on the televisions and watch battles in big cars, big tyres, big noise and enjoy the race like they do with other sports.
"But with us they need to know know about MGU-H, MGU-K, state of charge, supersoft, mandatory, medium, when you are fourth in the race three laps from the end you need to stop because you have to put another tyre on that is mandatory.
"Things like that, it is normal that they switch off their televisions."
Given a choice of qualifying format, Alonso has suggested a return to the single-lap format used in the latter part of 2005. Then drivers took to the track one at a time in the reverse order of the previous races result. They then had one lap to set a time that would decide their grid position.
"We want simplicity. The one-lap format, super-pole, that we did in 2005 was quite spectacular," said Alonso.
"Everyone has one lap of television coverage, it is simple, you do one lap and you brake too late, miss a corner and you start 15th. There is some adrenaline on that lap as well.
"Whatever they decide we will go with as we have done for the last 16 years."
Thursday was Alonso's final day in the MP4-31 and he registered 118 laps. Jenson Button will drive the car on the final day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.
New halo device divides opinion in the F1 paddock
The first race of the 2016 F1 season, the Australian GP, is exclusively live on Sky Sports F1. The race in Melbourne starts at 5am on Sunday March 20.
