Alonso brands qualifying 'obsolete'; calls for one lap format

Fernando Alonso has called for Formula 1 to introduce single-lap qualifying at street circuits, branding the current format 'obsolete' after incidents at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Traffic management, especially in Q1 at street circuits is a problem as drivers hang back to try and create a gap to the car ahead, but in doing so, can slow to a crawl which can be dangerous.

In qualifying at Marina Bay, multiple incidents of impeding were noted by stewards as cars backed up around the final sequence of corners, with Max Verstappen being cleared of impeding Logan Sargeant by stewards.

F1 has used the current three-stage knockout format since 2006, with one-lap qualifying previously used in various guises between 2002-2005, but Alonso feels the elimination format has become out-dated as Grand Prix cars have developed.

Alonso on qualifying

"It is difficult to handle, and whatever the FIA do, we will find a way to exploit it," Alonso told media including RacingNews365.

"They have a very difficult job in terms of managing traffic on street circuits and I have said many times there is only one way to find a solution, which is single-lap qualifying.

"All the other solutions that we can test will never work because we will find a way around it.

"This qualifying format is obsolete and has been the same for 20-25 years (knockout qualifying was introduced 17 years ago in 2006), and the cars are not as the same back then.

"Now we have hybrid engines we have to charge, we have to cool the tyres so the only way to go forward is [with] one lap [qualifying]."