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McLaren and Red Bull refused to accept elimination qualifying compromise

Formula 1's failure to change its under-fire elimination qualifying format was sealed when McLaren and Red Bull refused to accept anything other than ditching the shoot-out idea completely, Motorsport.com has learned. In another dramatic twist to the saga surrounding F1's qualifying system, sources have confirmed that the two outfits were unwilling to play ball with an alternative solution that had been put on the table by the FIA this week. And without their support - and the need for unanimous backing for any change to go through - the idea to tweak elimination qualifying was left dead in the water, with no time left to do anything other than keep the system that proved so unpopular in Australia. FIA plan After the shambolic end to Q3 in Australia, teams had unanimously agreed in Melbourne to ditch elimination qualifying and go back to last year's system for the next race in Bahrain. However, a decision was made by the FIA to not go that far and abandon the positive aspects of the change. Instead it wanted to give the shoot-out system another try, albeit in an improved format. This week therefore, teams on the Strategy Group and F1 Commission found themselves only able to vote on a revised format to elimination qualifying proposed by the FIA, where the new-style Q1 and Q2 would be extended, and Q3 would revert to how it was last year. One theory as to why teams were only given this option to vote on was that it would effectively force their hands to accept it, as they would be highly unlikely to reject it and keep the Australian system that was so universally criticised. However, if that was a motivation for not giving teams the option of going back to last year's system, then it failed entirely because McLaren and Red Bull refused to support it and did not vote in favour. Without their support, the vote did not go through, meaning that F1 is heading to Bahrain with the same under-fire elimination qualifying format that was run in Australia – and little prospect of it delivering a better show in Q3 this time. F1 criticism In a week when the GPDA spoke out about F1's 'obsolete' rules structure, and the sport making a bold move away from free-to-air TV in Britain, the inability of F1 to get rid of a hated qualifying format has left it facing further criticism.

McLaren unveils the commuter-ready 540C in China

China just said hello to the second and final model in the McLaren Sports Series when the 540 Club, also known as the 540C, was introduced at the Shanghai Motor Show. In becoming the "most attainable McLaren yet" the new coupe cedes a bit to the 570S, getting by with 533 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque from the company-standard 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 instead of 562 hp and 443 lb-ft as found in the 570S. The run from 0-62 miles per hour takes 3.5 seconds, up 0.3 seconds from its sibling, and top speed is 199 mph, down five mph. You get the carbon fiber MonoCell II tub, while the bits around it have been tailored more for daily driving. The dihedral doors enclose a more accommodating portal of entry, the cabin was "created with a focus on space and ergonomics," and the adaptive dampers are tuned for buyers who want to use this as a commuter car. It can be discerned from the more powerful offering by a tweaked nose design and model-specific cast aluminum wheels. Even with losing the carbon fiber brakes of the 570S, the 540C will come in at 2,890 pounds, five pounds lighter than the big brother. The upshot of all of this is that you save some dosh, the 540C expected to sell for as low as $160,000 when deliveries begin early next year, compared to $184,900 for the 570S. Pitting apples against apples, the 570S starts at 143,250 pounds, the 540C will be 126,000 pounds. It's aimed at the Chinese market and the company still hasn't said if it will officially come to the US, but we hear that it can be ordered through dealers anywhere in the world. The press release below has more information. Related Video: THE McLAREN 540C COUPE IS UNVEILED IN SHANGHAI AS THE SECOND MODEL IN THE SPORTS SERIES - 540C Coupe completes the two car line-up in the McLaren Sports Series - Most attainable McLaren yet, introducing the brand to a new audience - Joins the recently launched 570S Coupe in the McLaren Sports Series - A pure sports car bringing McLaren DNA to the segment for the first time - 540PS and 540NM: 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.5 seconds, top speed of 320km/h (199mph) McLaren will launch its second model in the new Sports Series, the McLaren 540C Coupe, at the Shanghai Motor Show, 20-29 April 2015. The most attainable McLaren yet, the 540C Coupe joins the recently revealed 570S Coupe in the Sports Series as the brand brings its race derived DNA to a new audience and segment.

McLaren wants you to drift your 720S

The next generation of McLaren's Super Series is nearly at hand, and today the British purveyor of speed released a camouflaged car shown during testing. While this is a bit anticlimactic – we saw the car last week in this Instagram leak – the image does show off the 720S (its expected name) in action with a trail of smoke. That's critical. The chassis will have a new feature called Variable Drift Control, which lets you modulate the electronic stability control by swiping your finger across the infotainment system. We can't wait to try that. The system is part of McLaren's Proactive Chassis II, which has 12 more sensors than the chassis in McLaren's current Super Series that's anchored by the 650S. The system is able to read inputs and gauge tire patch, allowing it to adjust suspension damping to adapt to driving conditions. Naturally, McLaren says this improves cornering, handling, grip, and comfort. The 720S will be able to drive in Comfort, Sport, or Track chassis settings. "Proactive Chassis Control II generates a significant amount of additional grip, but not at the expense of the balance and feel of the car," Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive executive director of product development, said in a statement. The 720S, which uses the codename P14, will be revealed in March at the Geneva Motor Show. Related Video: