Seven weeks to the day ahead of the first qualifying session of the 2005 Formula One World Championship, Minardi boss, Paul Stoddart, told thousands of race fans that the proposed qualifying format is wrong, and will be unpopular with fans and broadcaster.

Pitpass has already warned that the proposed qualifying format - loosely based on that used in Japan last year - will not work, and will indeed further damage the sport, as TV broadcasters realise that the Saturday session is effectively worthless.

Furthermore, the fact that the grid won't be decided until Sunday morning will mean that news programmes and newspapers will have little to mention on Saturdays, a time when traditionally the anticipation starts to build. Also, it is highly unlikely that mainstream broadcasters will devote so much of Sunday to a sport that is already losing viewers.

"We have had more changes in qualifying in the last three years than at any time I can remember," Stoddart told race fans at Autosport International, "and if you did it in any other sport there would be an outcry.

"There has been an awful lot of resistance to the format for 2005," he continued. "A lot of people think we will lose the audience for Saturday. The broadcasters are worried about cramming things in on Sunday for what is an integral part of a weekend.

"Overwhelmingly the most favoured option is the 2003 option. Friday gave the press and public something to see, then, the traditional Saturday format made sense with the race on Sunday.

"Whether this new idea will work I don't know," he admitted. "With aggregate times, it is very, very hard, as you are commentating on that lap, and it's very, very hard to explain that through.

"I think the main thing to remember is that we are very privileged to have 350 million people watching us 19 times a year this season. The day we forget about the public that watch on television and those that come to the races is the day we are dead."

Over the last couple of seasons that has been constant tinkering with the format, which on the whole has been unpopular with fans, broadcasters, drivers and many within the pitlane. For 2005, F1 bosses appear to be drifting further and further away from what people really want, once again insisting that they know best.

"We are trying to take notice," said Stoddart. "In qualifying, we do realise we have got to get it right, if it goes back to all cars on the track together, no problems at all, Minardi will still send the cars out first."

Will Bernie and friends please take notice, before it is too late.