Throwback: F1 rule changes branded 'pretty crap' after shambolic scenes

In a bid to try and spice up grands prix, a change was announced ahead of the 2016 Australian Grand Prix to the nature of qualifying. 

Instead of the three-segment knockout system, which had been in place in 2006, a new 'elimination-style' system was introduced ahead of Melbourne, whereby drivers would be eliminated every 90 seconds through three segments once a certain period of time had elapsed.

Almost immediately, engineers spotted the major hole in this plan, with drivers facing elimination before they had even set a lap-time, but qualifying began at Albert Park with the format in place, and so did the ramifications. 

Lewis Hamilton would grab pole position, but not on track, rather in the paddock, whilst removing his helmet as the usual crescendo to end qualifying fell rather flat with other drivers, including Sebastian Vettel, not even attempting to set a second Q3 lap as they would have been timed out before completing it.

Under the system, a driver was eliminated immediately, wherever they were, regardless if they were on a flying lap or not, as opposed to the old system, and indeed, the one in place to this day, of drivers being allowed to complete a flying lap if they have started it before the clock turns to 0:00.

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In the immediate aftermath, the condemnation of the system was clear. 

F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone delivered a far from ringing endorsement. 

"I watched it, but I have to say I wasn't enthusiastic about it from day one," he told RacingNews365's very own Ian Parkes in a previous role at Autosport.

"It was pretty crap. But this is what we've got, until we can change it.

"The only thing about this [format] is that the quick guys could have run off the road, or done anything a little bit silly, and then you would get a mixed-up grid, which is what we wanted.

"It just happens that Mercedes are still very, very good."

Crunch talks were held on Saturday evening, including the likes of FIA race director Charlie Whiting, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner, with it being decided that a change would be made for the Bahrain GP back to the original knockout system.

Horner then debriefed media.

"We made a mistake and will go back for the next race," Horner told Sky Sports.

"We are usually a pretty dysfunctional group, but there was absolute unanimity.

"We're tickling with the wrong areas. It's like trying to introduce a second ball on the pitch in football. The problems aren't in the format of qualifying or what a grand prix is

"When you try to get 11 teams to write that on a piece of paper, what it should be, that's where it goes wrong. That's where it should be taken out of the team's hands. The promoter and the governing body should say: 'This is what Formula 1's going to be, sign up or do something else.'"

Remarkably, though, when F1 arrived in Sakhir two weeks later, the elimination-style qualifying system was still in place. 

Another debacle later, and for Round 3 in China, qualifying reverted back to the three-segment session F1 still uses today. 

Since 2016, only one major change has been made to qualifying, with this being in 2021 and 2022 when the results of the Sprint race were used to set the grid before Sprint Qualifying was introduced in 2023.