Formula One is set to revert to the last year's qualifying format, doing away with the unpopular live-elimination system used at the opening two rounds of the season.
After extensive back-and-forth discussions over which format qualifying should be take for the rest of the season, the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone have finally agreed with the teams that the best option is to return to the 2015 system. However, it took a united front from the teams to push through the change after over two weeks of political deadlock following the first unsuccessful running of the format in Australia.
In-season changes to the regulations require unanimous agreement on the F1 Commission, which consists of the teams, the FIA, the Commercial Rights Holder, sponsors and race promoters. Up until Thursday the votes were split, with FIA president Jean Todt and Ecclestone hoping to trial a new aggregate system at the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.
The deadlock could have seen F1 stuck with the universally panned live-elimination system used at the first two rounds, but after the teams made their position clear the governing body and Ecclestone agreed to their demands for the good of the sport. As a result, a change back to the 2015 regulations is now set to be rushed through F1's rule making process ahead of next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.
"At the unanimous request of the teams in a letter received today, Jean Todt, President of the FIA, and Bernie Ecclestone, commercial rights holder representative, accepted, in the interests of the Championship, to submit a proposal to the F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council to revert to the qualifying format in force in 2015," read an FIA statement.
"This proposal, if approved by the F1 governing bodies, will take effect as from the Chinese Grand Prix and will apply for the rest of the season.
"Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone welcomed the idea put forward by the teams to have a global assessment of the format of the weekend for 2017."
Live-elimination qualifying, which saw drivers knocked out at 90-second intervals, will therefore become a footnote to the 2016 season. The teams have made clear that they are open to new ideas, but drew the line at experimenting with new formats so early in the season. It is possible new ideas could be trialled once the championship is wrapped up at the end of the year, with full implementation next season.
Above all, the qualifying debate has exposed the potential for F1's rule-making process to become constipated by bad ideas.