Formula 1's farcical qualifying format saga is set to run and run, with bosses on Sunday only agreeing the date of the next meeting.

The team chiefs got together before the Bahrain Grand Prix with Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt to discuss the future of the 'musical chairs' format, amid widespread hopes that it will be scrapped.

Although the meeting took 90 minutes, Mercedes's Toto Wolff told reporters as he exited that "no decision has been made" except that returning to the popular 2015 format is "not on the table".

A new meeting has been scheduled for next Thursday, amid speculation that bosses have been told to discuss a newly-touted format for setting the grid.

"Our main message," said Wolff, "is 'please, no experiments'."

Nico Rosberg came out on top in Bahrain, while the season continues with the Chinese Grand Prix in two weeks' time.