F1 chief Stefano Domenicali has put reverse grids for Sprint events back on the table, saying it is a discussion that needs to be had between F1, the FIA and the teams.<\/p>\n
Formula 1 introduced Sprint in 2021, beginning with three events, which in 2023 was increased to six.<\/p>\n
Reverse Sprint grids? \u2018We are open for that\u2019<\/p>\n
The short races have been met with mixed reviews from drivers and fans who suggest too many have produced dull, tyre-saving processions.<\/p>\n
Even this year\u2019s three Sprints, have been a snapshot of that.<\/p>\n
Lewis Hamilton<\/a> won in China with a lights to flag drive, while Belgium was labelled boring as it offered little by way of entertainment beyond the first lap that saw Max Verstappen overtake pole-sitter Oscar Piastri.<\/p>\n The Miami Sprint was a better event, but that was a wet-dry race livened by the drama that comes with racing in the rain.<\/p>\n It\u2019s led to Domenicali again making the call for the Sprints to begin with a reverse order grid.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a suggestion the former Ferrari team principal has put forward every year since 2021, but the teams and drivers have balked at the idea, calling it too artificial.<\/p>\n However, the Italian believes there is an appetite to try something different in the Sprint events, even adding a few more to the calendar.<\/p>\n \u201cI do believe there are possibilities to extend two things, which we need to discuss, both with the drivers and the teams, and, of course, with the FIA,\u201d he told The Race<\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are: can we apply that [Sprint schedules] with more races?<\/p>\n \u201cAnd is this the right formula to have the possibility to have a reverse grid, as we are doing with F2 and F3? These are points of discussion.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that we are getting there to be mature to make sure that this point will be tackled seriously with the teams.<\/p>\n \u201cThe vibes to progress in this direction are definitely growing, and therefore I\u2019m ready to present and to discuss not only more sprints\u2026 but if there are new formats, new ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n More on F1 2025\u2019s Sprint races<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 F1 Sprint explained: New rules, format and how it differs from standard F1 races <\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49\u00a0The results of the F1 2025 championship <\/a><\/p>\n Put to him that there\u2019s a growing number of fans who would like to see a shake-up to the Sprint format, many even supporting reverse grids that are used in Formula 3 and Formula 2\u2019s Sprints, Domenicali said he was open to the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are open for that, because I think that\u2019s the right thing \u2013 to listen to our fans, to try to create something, and not to be worried to do mistakes,\u201d he said. \u201cThe one who believes to do no mistakes doesn\u2019t do anything new.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that the Sprint, whatever will be the right format, we need to have it. It will represent the future.\u201d<\/p>\n The F1 drivers, though, aren\u2019t in favour.<\/p>\n A topic that\u2019s been on the table for several years, Max Verstappen said in 2021 that it goes against everything that F1 is about.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s artificial and trying to create a show, which is not what F1 stands for,\u201d he said. \u201cThe cars will end in the same position. The fastest car should be in the front. That\u2019s what everyone works for. F1 is about pure performance.\u201d<\/p>\n