F1 has to fix qualifying now or 'look like fools' says Toto Wolff

Wolff, the other 10 team principals, FIA president Jean Todt, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Pirelli motorsport boss Paul Hembery meet at noon on Sunday in the Bahrain Grand Prix paddock to resolve the qualifying crisis.

Despite giving the new elimination format a second chance, it again proved to be a failure at the Sakhir circuit ahead of Sunday's race.

Various ideas are due to be thrashed around, but Wolff feels trying a different format would be a mistake, and it would be better to revert to the old system.

Asked whether there was anything to be salvaged from the current set-up, Wolff said: "I think after today's Q1 and Q2, I don't see what you can like.

"It's very difficult to follow as to who is in and out, and we have a duty to simplify the sport rather than add complexity.

"It doesn't mix up the field enough that would make the race more entertaining, so I hope we can have some reasonable discussions tomorrow."

Wolff claims, following a conversation with Todt last week, reverting back to the former system will be on the table at the meeting.

"When I spoke to Jean last week he said he wanted to approach things in a structured way," said Wolff.

"He felt with Q1 and Q2 there was maybe something to learn, and therefore he wanted to go for the Melbourne format again, or the hybrid version to find out if it was all bad.

"If it was all bad then the most realistic scenario would be to go back to 2015 qualifying, and he said that to me.

"We're not in a position anymore, after changing twice, to experiment for Shanghai. We would look like fools.

"Maybe there is a different format that could be interesting. He said a single-lap shootout for the last eight drivers, which could be interesting.

"But we need to properly assess it, and if we find all the data and information we collect make it look like an interesting format, we should implement it in the rules and race it next year, but in a structured way."

With unanimity required among the group in the meeting for qualifying to be altered for China, Wolff quipped: "If somebody puts a block in the system to get us stuck then we should publicly crucify him in the paddock."

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier felt the action on track in Bahrain "was worse" than a fortnight previously in Melbourne, adding: "There were less cars on track today."