Ecclestone criticises qualifying format

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, after qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix, he said: "First the drivers are not driving on the limit and then they only do one fast lap and return to the pits and do nothing - they can only watch.

"The new system is not working. We are going to wait a bit longer and then we are going to change it, yes. They want to transform our sport into a show. Did you see a show today?"

McLaren boss Ron Dennis shares the opinion and sees the best technology on display, in low fuel qualifying trim - the only true test of the outright speed of a car - as an essential ingredient of the sport.

"If you move towards F1 being a show - to the detriment of the technical challenge - you will lose the fundamental fabric of grand prix racing. The experts will recognise that; start writing about it as being a show, not F1, and that will put us in a negative spin."

The villain of the piece, FIA president Max Mosley, has said: "The rules (as opposed to the procedures) cannot be changed during the season without unanimous agreement, and I think that most of the teams will feel we need more time to see the full effect of the new rules."