It’s not often that a sporting behemoth steps down from its lofty perch and gives in to demands. But that has actually happened in this year’s Formula 1 season. As the season inches towards its fourth race of the calendar on Sunday, for those who missed it, the last month has been momentous.
It all started when the sport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, decided to introduce a radically different set of rules for the qualifying event before the main race of each Grand Prix. As per the new qualifying rules, the slowest drivers would be eliminated every 90 seconds in each of the qualifying rounds.
This marked a drastic change from the earlier knockout-style format – much loved by fans – where the drivers were eliminated after each segment of the qualifying process. The earlier format had become extremely popular since its introduction in 2006, mainly because spectators could observe multiple cars lapping at the same time.
A step in the wrong direction
The results of the rule change were disastrous. After the first two races of the season, where the Australian and the Bahrain Grand Prix took place according to the new qualifying rules, a whirlwind of criticism broke forth. The team principal of Mercedes, Toto Woff, did not mince words as he called the new format “pretty rubbish”, while Lewis Hamilton, the reigning world champion, dubbed it “a step in the wrong direction”.
In fact, the backlash over the new rules led to an unprecedented occurrence – all 11 teams in the competition, who rarely see eye-to-eye owing to their differing ambitions, united to make a “unanimous request” to the Formula 1’s bosses to revert to the previous format.
The pressure ultimately worked. The FIA released a statement before the third Grand Prix in Shanghai. It said that both Jean Todt, the president of the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, F1's chief executive, both of whom had fiercely opposed going back to the previous format, had taken note of the request and agreed to go back to the previous qualifying format. For the eleven teams, it was seen as a massive victory.
Controversy apart, the season itself has thrown up a surprise or two until now. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg leads the Driver's Championship after three races with 79 points, while teammate Lewis Hamilton, who has won the last two championships, trails by 39 points. Rosberg has finished in pole position in the first three races and has made an impressive start to a season overshadowed by a horrific crash between Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez in the Australian Grand Prix. Thankfully, both drivers, emerged unscathed.
Dark clouds on the horizon?
With Hamilton looking to redouble his efforts to wipe out Mercedes teammate Rosberg's massive lead, it would seem that the focus for now has shifted back to racing after the fiasco over the qualifying rules. But, already, new dark clouds loom over the horizon. Seemingly unfazed over what happened with the qualifying rule change, Formula 1’s bosses have until Saturday to agree on a proposed fresh set of rules for the 2017 season. The proposed new rules purportedly seek to make the sport more exciting and envisage faster cars with more downforce and wider front and rear tyres.
The rumblings have started again. Rosberg has already spoken out against the proposed new rules, saying they would not make the sport more exciting, while Mercedes boss Wolff has already urged another rethink. Another storm could well be brewing.
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