Lotus vetoes split Q1, F-ducts to be banned in 2011

Lotus was one of the slower teams to veto moves to split ‘Q1’ qualifying into two at the forthcoming Monaco grand prix.

We reported earlier that a team bosses meeting in Barcelona was likely to knock the proposal on the head, after Charlie Whiting said the FIA would only act if all the teams agreed.

FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh had predicted that “teams from the middle of the grid downwards” were likely to vote against the split, presumably because it would lock them into the lowest positions.

Lotus team principal Tony Fernandes is quoted as confirming that he voted against the move because “we want the race to be exciting”.

It is also reported that F1 teams have agreed to ban F-ducts at the end of the season.

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