Horner Expects More Qualifying Changes

Formula One teams got together on Friday's rest day at Monaco and agreed that the current qualifying format needed to be changed - with the aggregate system set to be replaced with just a single one-lap session on Saturday.

And with Mosley openly saying this morning that he believed further changes may be needed, Horner himself has also expressed his belief that an all-new qualifying format may be required.

"I think this year we have a compromise but I don't think it is the ultimate answer for the future," he told reporters at Monaco. "You probably need to start with a clean sheet of paper to go beyond that."

Teams have recently considered a return to empty tank qualifying, and a scrapping of the single lap format, but agreement on change has always been hindered by the fact that some teams cars are better suited to different qualifying formats.

Only a change that is implemented for the longer-term future would likely draw such support - because teams could design cars perfectly suited to the regulations.

Horner added: "I think there are obviously limitations to what can actually be changed this year due to fuel tank capacity, the tyre scenario and so on.

"But I think the most important thing is that there is a conclusion to qualifying on a Saturday rather than being split across two days. I think it will be an improvement on what we have at the moment, because although Saturday is interesting to the teams it is a bit meaningless to the man in the grandstand."

When asked whether he believed that the sport's image was being damaged by the sport regularly changing its qualifying format, Horner said: "I think that it is not great when things chop and change, but if you don't try different things you never know.

"Ultimately what needs to come out of it is a long-term solution. This is a short-term fix, it is not a long-term solution. And it is a long-term solution that needs to be found."