Ecclestone claims qualifying will change

According to Bernie Ecclestone, the new qualifying has taken all the excitement away and as far as he's concerned the system is going to be abandoned. However, he may face some stiff opposition in the form of FIA president Max Mosley, who is a supporter of the new system and is enthusiastic about the unpredictable grid positions it brings about.

Ecclestone thinks the old qualifying session was better, where drivers had to fight for pole position in direct competition and the present one flying lap allocation prevents drivers having a good fight.

"First, the drivers are not driving on the limit in qualifying, and then they complete only one fast lap and they return to the pits and do nothing -- they can only watch," Ecclestone told Brazil's Agencia Estado. "They don't have the chance to try to beat a rival who has better their time. There's no fighting, the excitement of qualifying has gone."

It's certainly unlikely that Renault could have achieved its front row lock-out of the grid in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand prix with the old system but some are happy to see such unusual positions. It may not be exciting to watch but the new system has made for unpredictable races. However, Ecclestone wants it changed.

"When you go to see the doctor and he gives you a pill and that doesn't heal you, he changes your medication," he said. "The new system is not working. We are going to wait a bit longer and then we are going to change it."