Australian Grand Prix 2016: 'Rubbish' qualifying system criticised as Lewis Hamilton continues pole domination

Hamilton will start alongside his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg but a farcical session so no cars go leave the pits in the final minutes

(2016 Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton will start on pole for Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but Formula One's revamped qualifying format was nothing short of a disaster.

The new elimination-style system was introduced by the sport's hierarchy to shake up the grid and it was Hamilton who secured the 50th pole of his career.

But the one-hour session will be remembered as a farce with no cars on track in the final minutes of the knockout session, leading Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to describe it as "rubbish".

Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg will start second with the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel third on the grid.

With six minutes of the final of three timed sessions remaining, Ferrari decided to save their tyres for the Melbourne race.

And after seeing their rivals remain in the garage, Mercedes decided to follow suit.

Hamilton and Rosberg were called back into the pits, and with more than three minutes left of qualifying, fans were left staring at an empty track.

With all 22 drivers keen to get a flying lap under their belt in Q1, the first of three timed sessions - before the 90-second elimination period started, Hamilton led the field off.

Soon, Rosberg was off the track after making a meal of his first timed run before Hamilton stormed to the top of the order. That is how it remained, before attention turned to the back of the field.

A countdown clock had been promised to keep fans watching on TV up to speed with which driver faced the axe next, but mysteriously it appeared only after three drivers, the Manor of Pascal Wehrlein, his team-mate Rio Haryanto and Esteban Gutierrez, had all been eliminated.

Surely an oversight for Formula One Management who are in control of the images and graphics which are beemed around the world.


 Rosberg went off on one of his flying laps
 (2016 Getty Images)

From there, it was easier to follow. Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat, knocked out in 18th place, being the only real surprise.

The second timed session started moments later, and while Q1 was entertaining - not least because it was difficult to follow - Q2 was somewhat of a dreary sequel.

Jolyon Palmer, who will start in 14th, sneaked ahead of his Renault team-mate Kevin Magnussen, while the McLaren duo of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button qualified 12th and 13th.

But as the countdown clock ticked, the drivers were not on track battling to beat the stopwatch, but mostly in their garages, knowing they would be unable to better the time in front of them.

It was a theme which continued into the final timed session and one that the strategists had feared with teams opting to save their tyres for the race rather than post a quick lap.

Max Verstappen was fifth for Toro Rosso ahead of Felipe Massa in his Williams, with Carlos Sainz seventh and Daniel Ricciardo eighth for Red Bull. The Force India pair of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg completed the top 10.


 Verstappen continues to impress in his Toro Rosso as he qualified fifth
 (2016 Getty Images)

Wolff, who had just witnessed his Mercedes team secure a one-two, took aim at the new format. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I think the new qualifying format is pretty rubbish. We need to discuss it. Everyone is trying to do their best to improve the show and if we haven't we need to discuss it.

"The solution is not good in my opinion and that is why we have to look at it again."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner went one step further, saying: "It didn't really work and we should apologise to the fans here. We didn't put on a great show.

"We need to learn from it. The important things is not to stick our head in the stands, address it properly first. I would prefer to go back to the qualifying sessions we had, but that is my personal opinion."

Final Positions after Qualifying:

1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 23.837secs

2 Nico Rosberg(Ger) Mercedes GP 1:24.197

3 Sebastian Vettel(Ger) Ferrari 1:24.675

4 Kimi Raikkonen(Fin) Ferrari 1:25.033

5 Max Verstappen(Ned) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:25.434

6 Felipe Massa(Bra) Williams 1:25.458

7 Carlos Sainz(Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:25.582

8 Daniel Ricciardo(Aus) Red Bull 1:25.589

9 Sergio Perez(Mex) Force India 1:25.753

10 Nico Hulkenberg(Ger) Force India 1:25.865

11 Valtteri Bottas(Fin) Williams 1:25.961

12 Fernando Alonso(Spa) McLaren 1:26.125

13 Jenson Button(Gbr) McLaren 1:26.304

14 Jolyon Palmer(Gbr) Renault 1:27.601

15 Kevin Magnussen(Den) Renault 1:27.742

16 Marcus Ericsson(Swe) Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.435

17 Felipe Nasr(Bra) Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.958

18 Daniil Kvyat(Rus) Red Bull 1:28.006

19 Romain Grosjean(Fra) Haas F1 1:28.322

20 Esteban Gutierrez(Mex) Haas F1 1:29.606

21 Rio Haryanto(Ina) Manor Racing 1:29.627

22 Pascal Wehrlein(Ger)Manor Racing 1:29.642

Note: Rio Haryanto has been given a three-place grid penalty for an unsafe release and collision with Romain Grosjean in FP3 so will start 22nd