Coulthard fears qualifying may confuse fans

With teams having voted in favour of a knockout format rather than single-lap qualifying, there has already been plenty of talk that the new system will generate an improved spectacle.

But Coulthard believes that the way cars are knocked out in the first two 15-minute sessions - which will leave some teams only getting a little bit of running on Saturday afternoons, with the final 20 minute session seeing race fuel-levels run - may lead to confusion.

"I have had so many rules and regulations - wide cars, slicks, narrows cars, grooved tyres, 3-litre engines, 2.4-litre engines and all the different qualifying rules," he said. "I know I cannot try and change what is going to happen, so I will just accept it.

"What is interesting is that if Minardi had still been a privateer team then it would have been a disaster for them because they would always have gone out in the first 15 minutes - and it would have been like having the Premiership and the First Division in F1.

"Tactically also, if you think you are going to be eighth, ninth or 10th on the grid then you might want to be 11th (so you can fuel up the car). There are going to be some interesting strategies and it will be difficult for the public to understand.

"I don't think the people on the pitwall will even fully understand it and we just have to see what potential it creates for an exciting F1 season."

Despite his feelings on the complications of the new system, Coulthard has admitted that he is happy the sport has finally got rid of the single-lap format, which he did not like.

"Obviously I struggled a little bit with single-lap qualifying so I am keen to find out how I get on with the new format," he said. "I hope I fit in with the new system."