F1 teams agree qualifying is priority in regulation review; happy with races

Team principals are praising the spectacle so far, but the ‘lift and coast’ technique during flying laps is prompting calls for possible changes

Formula 1’s team principals have met to review findings from the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix weekends as the championship’s new regulations remain under scrutiny.

According to reports, all present agreed that the races were of a high standard in terms of on-track action and were happy with the response from the public and fans and thus not currently a cause for concern.

Any necessary adjustments will be assessed without haste, eliminating the risk of a knee-jerk reaction creating further problems.

But qualifying is being pinpointed as a priority for review, with no shortage of criticism in both Melbourne and Shanghai, as drivers are currently forced to use the ‘lift and coast’ technique even during their fast lap – the very moment when the cars and drivers are at their most potent.

The aim is to assess measures that will allow a return to flat-out flying laps without the need for any management. Teams and drivers will be involved in addressing the issue, with the latter being called upon to make a significant contribution. The ball will then be in the FIA’s court, which will be tasked with devising solutions to be brought back to the negotiating table.

Therefore nothing will change ahead of the Suzuka weekend. The break in the calendar, caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, will provide the necessary time to assess any adjustments without urgency, given that F1 will return to the track in Miami on the first weekend of May.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images

According to reports, these will not be radical changes, but targeted measures to eliminate or mitigate issues identified during the first three race weekends of the season.

There is therefore no crisis. The results from Melbourne and Shanghai have gone a long way towards allaying the concerns that had been expressed in the run-up to the season, and everyone present at today’s meeting agreed that there is no need for urgent measures.

Several critical issues that emerged during pre-season testing in Bahrain have since been resolved or mitigated over the course of the first month of the season, up to the Chinese Grand Prix, without the need for corrective action by the International Federation.