Formula 1 News: Drivers split over reverse grid idea, sprints
(GMM) Formula 1 drivers have offered mixed reactions to the prospect of reverse grid races being added to the calendar alongside a major increase in sprints.
The sport is widely expected to double the number of sprint weekends from six to twelve in 2027, with reverse grids among the ideas being floated by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
Nico Hulkenberg says he enjoys the current sprint format but is unsure about reversing the grid order. “Reverse grid stuff? Honestly, I don’t know,” said the Sauber driver.
“That’s a bit mixed feelings – and how they would want to do that. It’s a challenge F1 faces.
“The sport is popular, obviously you always want to enhance and improve the entertainment side, but you also need to cover and keep a balance with the performance side.”
Pierre Gasly, leading the struggling Alpine team, joked that he would not have minded a reverse grid format this year but argued that F1 should protect its DNA.
He made clear he is no fan of the sprint format.
“From a driver’s point of view, you have three sessions; you’re able to work on the car,” the Frenchman began, referring to the traditional weekend format.
“Engineering-wise, it’s good session to session to optimise and perfect the car for quali. And then you have one main race, which is the main event. I’d be happy to leave it as it is.”
Oscar Piastri, who leads the championship, was more blunt. “I think reverse grids … it might sound obvious from where I’m sat, but it’s a bad idea,” said the McLaren driver.
“In Formula 1, there’s nothing more than winning the championship. The last thing we want is things being decided because of reverse grid races.”
Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, meanwhile, objects even to the expansion of the sprints. “When it’s a sprint weekend, there’s not a lot of time, and so you have to do things quickly without necessarily being able to maximize them,” said the Brazilian.
“It’s good for the fans, but I don’t think I’ll go beyond twelve sprints – that’s already a high limit for me.”
He warned that doubling the number of sprints could make life even harder for rookies. “Teams might think more before hiring rookies, because they’ll know they’ll have less time to adapt if there are 12 sprints,” he said.
