Formula E has abandoned plans to change the lottery system which has decided qualifying groups in the first three seasons of the championship.
Drivers are currently split into four groups by a lottery, with groups going out to qualify one at a time. The system has fallen under criticism as some tracks favour those that qualify in later groups, whilst changing weather conditions may disadvantage one group.
Changes had been proposed which would decide the groups based on championship order rather than by a lottery. The top five in the championship would be in the same group, meaning title rivals would qualify in the same conditions.
But team representatives were told last month the change will not be introduced, despite it being popular among drivers.
“I was hoping for [the lottery system] to go,” Sebastien Buemi told Autosport.
“When you go to a track when the lottery plays a big role – we had two tracks, Montreal and Mexico, where it was very bad to qualify in group one – it could destroy your weekend.
Buemi, who was fighting Lucas Di Grassi for the championship in Montreal, drew qualifying one for the season finale and started 13th on the grid.
Di Grassi has also had his fair share of unlucky qualifying.
“I don’t like the system,” he said. “I was really unfavoured in season one and two in London, and I was favoured in season three.
“You cannot [leave] this stuff to luck.
“It would be very good to put the drivers in the championship in the same group.”
The lottery will again feature in the 2017-18 season, but there’s hope something new will take its place in the 18-19 championship.
