Post monaco, Sunday qualifying will be abolished

Formula One’s controversial Sunday qualifying is likely to be axed after this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix in favour of a single Saturday session.

The International Automobile Federation said on Friday that the 10 teams had already ‘‘agreed unanimously to a proposal to change the qualifying procedure for Formula One with immediate effect’’. The new format could be in place for the European Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring in Germany on May 29. The proposal was for a single qualifying session from 1300 to 1400 hours on Saturday with every driver having a single timed-lap to decide the starting grid. Teams would be unable to refuel the cars or modify them between qualifying and the race. The running order would be the same, with the winner of the previous race going out last.

The first six races of this season, Monaco included, have adopted an aggregate format with the grid decided by the times from Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday session has found little favour with broadcasters, some of whom have declined to show it live, while other influential figures have been scathing. FIAT and Ferrari head Luca di Montezemolo, had also derided the system at the San Marino Grand Prix last month. — Reuters