Ecclestone Fights to Apply Qualifying Changes

Formula One's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone is attempting to change the qualifying format as soon as this weekend's British Grand Prix, despite the plan being scrapped a week ago.

The 10 teams' bosses had previously agreed unanimously to change the controversial single lap format from the British Grand Prix on July 11th to one involving two free-for-all sessions with aggregate times deciding the starting grid. But in a meeting of the F1 Commission last week in London, the plan did not get sufficient votes to go through, after Eddie Jordan and Minardi's Paul Stoddart voted against it.

Now, however, Ecclestone is attempting to convince those opposed to support the changes, so they could be introduced in Silverstone after all.

"All teams signed for the new deal but then a couple defected," Ecclestone told the Daily Telegraph. "I've told them, you are grown men and you should not have signed something. You've made us all look stupid. So we shall have to see if they reconsider. We are looking to have it for this weekend. All the software is fired up and ready to go.

"It will add something to the spectacle. Qualifying in France was better but the truth is you would not want to watch the first half anyway. That's the problem with it."

According to the newspaper, Stoddart has already said he will lift his objection if he remains the only one against the change. But, the Daily Telegraph says, Jordan is less likely to comply due to pressure from his team's primary sponsor, Benson & Hedges, which fears the change will drastically cut down the television time each car now enjoys.

Ecclestone has apparently given the teams today (Tuesday) as deadline to decide. But, he says, the underlying problem today is the mere fact that the teams have a say in how the sport is run.

"The problem is democracy," Ecclestone said. "In the old days, when we started, F1 teams were told this is how it works and that was the end of it. Now, whatever you do is not going to make everyone happy. Someone is always going to say it is bad for us."