Former Red Bull driver and nine-time Grand Prix winner Mark Webber is dumbfounded over F1's decision to preserve its new qualifying format for Bahrain.
Given the new scheme's anti-climax unfolding in Melbourne, which saw most drivers remain on the sidelines in Q3, as well as the teams' unilateral negative stance on the matter, the Aussie was under the impression, like most people, that qualifying would revert to the old system this weekend.
"I thought we were leaving Melbourne in good shape with a decision to go back to a system which was working pretty well," Webber said in a Daily Mail interview.
"But that’s not the case and we are back to the Melbourne scenario which even at its best it will struggle to equal what we had."
"When we switch a TV on it should be this is qualifying, who has the fastest lap time in the tank in terms of the driver pushing absolute commitment and do a phenomenal lap?
"And if you do can, you go a tenth quicker. I want to go back out and respond."And that was the problem in Melbourne, people couldn't respond as there wasn't enough tyres or enough time.
"Now we've gone way too far and drivers are pigeon holed and restricted into operational running times they don’t always want."
Webber, who is a consultant for Channel 4 this year, also believes there is way too much focus on those who lose out in qualifying - the slower drivers, rather than on the fastest runners who deserve more attention.
"For me the beef I've got is we are still focusing on the driver that’s on the bubble or the driver that’s slow trying to get into that session.
"Now with all due respect we are focusing on Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez or young Esteban Gutierrez, now that’s fine.
"But we've also got to be focusing on the laps the big boys are doing to form the first few rows of the grid."
RACE PREVIEW: Bahrain Grand Prix
Technical focus: 2016 F1 power units
FEATURE: A long wait - France's 20-year win drought in F1
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
