F1 Chief Domenicali Open to Shaking Up Sprint Races with Reversed Grid Concept Despite ‘Fake Racing’ Fears

F1 leader rebuffs concerns of "artificial competition" regarding the proposal of "reversed grid" sprints

Is introducing a reversed grid for sprint races a good idea for F1?

Stefano Domenicali has dismissed worries about the future development of F1's sprint race format and is "curious" about the idea of inverting the starting order.

This season has seen adjustments to how sprint weekends are planned during F1 events, and even more significant modifications may be on the horizon.

The concept of 'flipping the grid' captivates the CEO of Formula 1.

"Domenicali mentioned to Motorsport that some subjects consistently spark debate."

"It's time to revisit the conversation about whether it's necessary to invert the grid, or at least a portion of it, similar to the practices of F2 and F3."

"Hence, it's about maintaining a lively intellect, if I might put it that way, aiming to perpetually engage with something fascinating."

In my opinion, I'd ask, why not go for it? There's plenty of action involved, with a lot of overtaking. You're in the fray, competing for points, after all.

"Some individuals might argue, 'This is an artificial form of competition.'"

"Counterfeit? The concept of authenticity doesn't apply to what you perceive as the ideal way to create dynamic scenes. Thus, I'm open to revisiting that conversation. Indeed."

This season, six events will include a sprint race on Saturday, along with the associated sprint qualifying.

In a different approach, MotoGP, acquired by Liberty Media, the proprietors of F1, this year, includes a shorter sprint race at each event, taking place on the Saturday preceding the main grand prix on Sunday.

Domenicali outlined a strategy to make F1 weekends more exciting by incorporating competitive aspects into every session, moving beyond simply holding three hours of practice.

"He further expressed his aspiration: each time you hit the track, there should always be something worth striving for."

Flipping the grid order introduces a complicated approach as it necessitates modifying the rules to stop Formula 1 drivers from purposely qualifying in the last place to secure the pole position.

The F1 Academy employs a semi-reversed grid system. During the second race of each three-race event, the first eight vehicles are rearranged in the opposite order. This particular race distributes fewer points compared to the other two races.

However, drivers are still motivated to secure pole position as it allows them to maintain their starting order for both Race 1 and Race 3.

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