Bernie Ecclestone says the motivation behind tweaking F1's qualifying system has been forgotten amid the controversy around the live elimination format.
The FIA and Bernie Ecclestone have finally agreed to revert to the 2015 qualifying system after the rejection of the unpopular live elimination format used at the opening two rounds this year. Qualifying had been controversially changed before the season with the goal of mixing up the grid, something Ecclestone feels has been lost in the furore around the short-lived format.
"People seem to forget what we are trying to do, which is muddle the grid up a little bit because what we have seen doesn't make for much excitement," Ecclestone told Autosport. "Lewis [Hamilton] has helped us a bit this season by not making good starts and having to come through the field, and Ferrari finally seems to have got his act together, so maybe things will change.
"Unless we can get everybody on board with regard to a new format then we are not going to find an answer. It's as simple as that."
The live elimination format was only consigned to the history books when the FIA and Ecclestone agreed to demands of F1's teams, who had united behind a return to the old rules. The governing body and commercial rights holder had been hoping to put more proposals on the table but the teams made it clear they are only willing to try new ideas at the end of the season once the title has been decided.
If the FIA and Ecclestone had refused to back down the universally-derided live elimination system would have remained for a third grand prix. The return to the old format will now be rushed through F1's rule-making process ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.