Reverse grid qualifying races for F1’s return face opposition

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emailBy Chris Medland | May 31, 2020 11:02 AM

The concept of reverse grid qualifying races to decide the grid for the full-length grand prix is being seriously considered by Formula 1 for when racing resumes, but faces stiff opposition.

Liberty Media, the teams and the FIA have discussed the idea of using the doubleheader races planned for Austria and Silverstone to try a reverse grid sprint race that would replace qualifying for one of the two events held at the same circuit.

The concept — previously raised by Ross Brawn as something that could be tested in non-championship races — would see drivers line up in reverse championship order, with the finishing positions after a short race deciding the grid for Sunday’s grand prix. For the other race at the same circuit, the usual three-part qualifying session would be used to decide the grid.

The proposal failed to gain approval for 2020 after a vote late last year as two teams voted against it, but has surfaced again as the fact F1 plans on hosting more than one race at the same circuit would allow for a direct comparison to see the impact on racing.

However, such a change to the regulations would again require unanimous approval from the 10 teams as it impacts on this season, and Mercedes is understood to be firmly against the idea, with other teams also holding some reservations.

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As well as the ongoing argument that such a handicapping system is against F1’s DNA, there are concerns about the financial implications at a time when F1 has been frantically trying to reduce costs, with the heightened risk of damage in a race made up of a full field of cars in reverse pace order compared to normal qualifying.

The FIA recently introduced a safeguard clause into the International Sporting Code that states changes to regulations can be made with just the agreement of the majority of entrants “in exceptional circumstances” due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, but it is not believed the opposition to such a sporting change is deemed significant enough to warrant invoking this clause.

Reverse Grids, Formula 1

 

F1 wary of gimmicks in discussing reverse grids

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emailBy Chris Medland | 17 hours ago

Formula 1 doesn’t want any changes it makes to the sport’s format to be perceived as gimmicks, amid the discussion over reverse grid qualifying races.

The first eight races of 2020 have now been confirmed, with two events happening at each of the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone. F1 raised the concept of using a reverse grid qualifying race on one of the two races at the same venues in order to prevent boring second races and take advantage of the ability to do a direct comparison between that and the normal qualifying session.

Under this format, qualifying would be replaced by a short sprint race where the reverse championship order would be used to set the grid, and the final results of that race would then give the grid for the grand prix itself. The fastest cars would start from the back of the qualifying race and need to work their way to the front for the best Sunday starting position. However, that plan looks likely to be blocked as Mercedes, which is strongly opposed to the idea.

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“We’ve had one (idea) that’s been publicized about a reverse grid that not all teams were comfortable with,” Formula 1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey (pictured at left, above, with Mercedes’ Toto Wolff) said. “Making changes in this short timeframe requires unanimity of support. We’re changing almost real time inside the season, but we’ll continue to look at ideas.

“We want to make sure they’re not gimmicks. It’s a great sport with great history, great heroes, great stars, incredibly talented drivers and other individuals so we want to respect everything to a degree — but we want to make sure that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t look at ways to make some changes.

“This season being unique gives a little bit more opportunity to try something that I don’t think we would do unless we thought it was a real possibility to add something to the race. I think we always want to be challenging ourselves and (looking at whether) there other things we can do to make the sport better.”

While that idea does not look like it will gain approval, Carey is still pleased with the progress F1 has made with aspects such as the budget cap, aerodynamic testing restrictions and an initial European season.

“It has been busy. I feel good about the headway we have made but there is still a work in progress. For the last couple of years, we have been quite clear that we have had broad-based goals, to make the competition better, improve the action and make a healthier business for everyone in it.

“What the COVID (pandemic) created was a sense of urgency. Crisis in many ways require a sense of urgency. The issues that arose with this timeframe gave us the impetus, it gave us the momentum to tackle things which would have probably been tackled in the ordinary course over a longer timeframe.

“It really shows the spirit of the sport, and the fact that it is a big family. Families squabble and families compete, that is certainly not unique to any family. In many ways you want that competition to exist; it’s the backbone of the sport but I think when things get tough — and clearly things are tough right now — they rose to the occasion.”

Chase Carey, Reverse Grids, Formula 1

 

Wolff explains reverse grid opposition

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emailBy Chris Medland | 9 hours ago

Toto Wolff has reiterated the opposition Mercedes has to the idea of reverse grid qualifying races in Formula 1, explaining why his team blocked the proposal.

F1 is keen to experiment with the race weekend format to provide more racing entertainment for fans, and tabled the idea of replacing qualifying with a sprint race where drivers start in reverse championship order. The results of that race would then form the grid for the main grand prix when points would be handed out, but Wolff says Mercedes is firmly opposed to the idea.

“First of all, there seems to be a common pattern in Formula 1, digging out old ideas that have been analyzed thoroughly and rejected and then somebody thinks it’s great and it’s back on the agenda,” Wolff said.

“You need to look at the reasons why we were against it and there are three fundamental reasons: I believe Formula 1 is a meritocracy — the best man in the best machine wins; we don’t need a gimmick to turn the field around and create more exciting racing.

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“Number two, I know from touring car racing that strategies become a very useful tool when one race result is basically making up the grid for the next one. Just imagine one of the drivers not running well on the Sunday race of the first Spielberg weekend, you decide to DNF the car and that becomes the car that starts on pole for the qualifying race on the second weekend. And if that car starts on pole for the qualifying race, among midfielders, then he’ll certainly be on pole for Sunday and win the race.

“There will be cars in the middle that will defend and block as much as they can and, therefore, for the cars coming from behind, there will be more risk for a DNF and that could influence the championship. And then, from a pure performance standpoint, whoever has the faster car, not necessarily us, will be penalized towards the second- and third-quickest teams, because they will simply start in front. And, as we know, the margins are not very large, so, therefore, it’s a bit of an opportunistic move to give some teams an advantage.

“So, yes, it was us; we said this is not the time to experiment with things that, interestingly, didn’t even have the support of the Formula 1 fans’ community, because in a survey only 15 percent expressed an interest in reverse grids.”

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