Lewis Hamilton celebrated his 50th Formula One pole position of his career as he started the 2016 Formula One season on a high note as the new look qualifying made its controversial debut at Albert Park.
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Hardly anything changed from last season as Rosberg and Vettel completed the top 3.
The format of qualifying has changed, with the introduction of a system that will eliminate the slowest driver every 90 seconds in the second half of each of the three sessions.
And there are major restrictions on the use of team radio, with limitations on the information the teams can give to drivers.
The new qualifying format was universally condemned by fans, pundits, drivers as well as by Bernie Ecclestone himself. While the opening parts of Q1 and Q2 were frantic, Q3 was a disappointment with only Mercedes choosing to do two runs and Lewis Hamilton confirmed on pole with several minutes of the session remaining. There was no action at all in the final few minutes. The only piece of entertainment came in the first part of qualifying when Jolyon Palmer, under pressure of elimination, improved on his time and dumped his team-mate Kevin Magnussen out instead. After that it was all downhill.
This, however, didn’t go down well with the fans who mocked the new format on twitter, whereas drivers such as Vettel, Hamilton and Alonso strongly criticised it. Personalities such as Bernie Ecclestone, Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda condemned the new format and realised that changes were required to make it interesting and pleasing for the fans to watch.
Watch the best reactions from the twitterati world as the season opener qualifying came to an end.
FINAL PROVISIONAL QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION* *Rio Haryanto will start from P22 following a grid penalty #AusGP
Ridiculous rules by the FIA have killed viewership since the last few years-this might be the last nail! #F1 #AusGP x.com/bbcsport/statu…
Lewis Hamilton takes pole but qualifying came in for some heavy criticism... Report bbc.in/1R5154U #AusGP pic.x.com/Ol4Eu4okQM
A half century! Congratulations @MercedesAMGF1’s @LewisHamilton on claiming his 50th career pole at the #AusGP
Well done @LewisHamilton and @MercedesAMGF1 though. Storming lap for pole. 2.5 seconds up on last season. Wow #AusGP
#Seb5: 'We are getting better, tomorrow we should be a bit closer' #AusGP #redseason
@TeamMcLaren #AusGP hope Jenson and Fernando take Honda back to winning ways like in the old days with senna and prost
#AusGP Qualifying.. What a joke.. No cars on the track at the end of Q2 and Q3. Well done for @MBrundleF1 for saying how bad it was. #F1
#F1 first 2 qualifying were great but 3rd was boring as bat shit @ausgrandprix #AusGP
Bernie Ecclestone gives Autosport his blunt verdict on "pretty crap" new #F1 qualifying: autosport.com/news/report.ph…
https://twitter.com/dennisvanrhee/status/711103337475792896
New #F1 drinking game: down in one every time someone says "I told you this would happen" about the new quail system.
Is it too late now to say sorry? @F1
.@LewisHamilton has just joined a VERY exclusive club of drivers with 50+ career pole positions #AusGP #Quali
https://twitter.com/_markgallagher/status/711086621911818241
Not good quali for me 👎 Struggled with grip in Q2 for some reason. Tomorrow from P11 the fight is on! #AustralianGP
VETTEL: "We have stepped forward. We expected them to be strong in qualifying but tomorrow will be closer" #AusGP
HAMILTON: "I really enjoyed driving the car today. There were some sexy laps in there and everything flowed" #AusGP
https://twitter.com/SirThundertwat/status/711105439690334208
Agreed, lots of positives, Mclaren and TR the stars for me, excluding Lewis who was mighty #F1 #AusGP x.com/thebuxtonblog/…
https://twitter.com/AAckerman13/status/711084475518562304
Brilliant effort from all the @HaasF1Team ! Shame we couldn't finish our laps as they would have put us much higher on the grid :( #AusGP
https://twitter.com/MooEvilBoffin/status/711085500443054081
#F1 qualifying 'definitely' needs to change - @LewisHamilton bbc.in/1UHtLlQ
No punches pulled from the likes of Niki Lauda and Christian Horner as they both say we should go back to old system for next race
Bernie Ecclestone: "It was pretty crap. But this is what we've got, until we can change it." #F1