F1: Old qualifying format returns for China

Formula 1 qualifying is to revert back to last year's format after all, starting with the Chinese Grand Prix.

Todt and Ecclestone have accepted it would be in the best interests of the championship to drop the controversial format and plans for an aggregate replacement. Ecclestone does not now feel "it is possible to find a solution" for the future.

"People seem to forget what we are trying to do, which is muddle the grid up a little bit because what we have seen doesn't make for much excitement," Ecclestone told Autosport. "Lewis [Hamilton, with Ecclestone, LEFT] has helped us a bit this season by not making good starts and having to come through the field, and Ferrari finally seems to have got his act together, so maybe things will change.

"Unless we can get everybody on board with regard to a new format, then we are not going to find an answer. It's as simple as that."

Earlier on Thursday, it appeared as if an impasse had been reached between the 11 teams in one corner and Ecclestone and Todt in the other, with regard to a way forward over the future format of qualifying.

Although the teams played their part in voting through the new elimination setup for this season, it had proven unpopular and ineffective, with the action front-loaded in Q1.

Further talks took place between the teams, Ecclestone, Todt, along with Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery in the paddock in Bahrain last Sunday, with the aggregate qualifying system proposed. That system ran for six races only at the start of 2005 before being discarded, but teams agreed to review it, only for talks over the past few days to discover it would not work.

A vote was scheduled to take place but, with the teams in agreement for once, they opted to make a stand against Ecclestone and Todt.