Bernie Ecclestone is determined to push through his plans for a new qualifying format, despite its recent rejection by the Formula One Commission.

It was Ecclestone that came up with the idea of the new format which consists of two twenty-five minute sessions - divided by a ten minute break - in which cars must complete 6 laps. The best times from each session are then aggregated to decide grid order.

The current system has been roundly criticised, but the reaction to Ecclestone's proposal was mixed. Despite early signs that the F1 supremo's format would be accepted in time for this weekend's British GP, at last week's meeting of the team bosses it was surprisingly thrown out.

The failure of the team bosses to (yet again) fail to agree, and indeed come up with a viable alternative, is one of the primary reasons for FIA President Max Mosley stepping down a year early.

"All teams signed for the new deal but then a couple defected," Ecclestone told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. "I've told them, you are grown men and you should not have signed something. You've made us all look stupid. So we shall have to see if they reconsider. We are looking to have it for this weekend. All the software is fired up and ready to go.

"It will add something to the spectacle," he continued. "Qualifying in France was better but the truth is you would not want to watch the first half anyway. That's the problem with it.

"It's a shambles for the sport," Ecclestone added. "The problem is democracy. In the old days when we started, F1 teams were told this is how it works and that was the end of it. Now, whatever you do is not going to make everyone happy. Someone is always going to say it is bad for us."

Although several team bosses were uneasy with the new format, Paul Stoddart (Minardi) was most concerned by the fact that the 107% ruling could be re-applied - therefore eliminating his cars from races, while Eddie Jordan felt that the current system is better because it gives his team's sponsors valuable air-time.

At the end of the day however, what Bernie wants, Bernie gets.