Mattia Binotto may have jumped the gun by announcing that F1’s qualifying format is changing radically for 2020.
The Ferrari boss told La Gazzetta dello Sport that all ten teams have agreed to scrap the existing knockout format in favour of a new Saturday sprint race.
"All teams have said yes, including us," Binotto said. "So in 2020, it will be done."
However, reporting for Speed Week, correspondent Mathias Brunner says Binotto’s claim is in fact "not true", because a format vote on the matter is in fact yet to be conducted.
"It is quite possible that a qualifying grand prix will come. But it’s not decided yet," he added.
Indeed, F1 sporting director Ross Brawn had appeased those worried about radical changes by declaring at Monza: "There will be no revolution.
"Fans do not need to worry. Any changes will be minor.
"We do want to work on certain elements of the weekend to improve the show. We could try something new with the stable regulations next year and then firmly integrate it in 2021," Brawn said.