F1: Qualifying won't be mixed up - Alonso

Fernando Alonso expects Formula 1 teams to master the new qualifying format for 2016 immediately, believing everyone will have worked out the best approach before the Australian Grand Prix.

F1's qualifying system has been changed for the first time since 2006 this year, with the three segments now concluding with cars being eliminated at 90-second intervals in the closing stages.

While Alonso was one of several drivers critical of the way the changes were handled in the last few weeks, he does not expect teams to get caught out by the new system.

"We have so many talented people, so many clever people, they will understand perfectly the rules and we will all do the same," Alonso told reporters during his recent visit to Baku ahead of the city's first grand prix later this year.

"There will be one exact mathematic formula to do the right thing, so I don't think there will be any adaptation time. For the drivers I don't think it will change much, we will do very fast laps when it's time to do it."

Alonso is more concerned with how the new format will be received by fans, because he feels the qualifying format has been overcomplicated.

"From the outside, it's a little bit more difficult because it will take a couple of races to understand the system," he added.

"I don't think it was necessary to change. Formula 1 is very complex sometimes, difficult to understand from the outside. One thing that was very easy to understand [qualifying] - we've changed it.

"Let's see if people can adapt to this."

Originally on Autosport.com