F1 supremo calls again for F1 reverse grids – Since the commercial rights to Formula One were acquired by Liberty Media, the sport has grown in an almost unimaginable fashion. The number of sponsors and partners for the teams has almost doubled in less than a decade, together with a dramatic increase in TV audiences.
In the USA, the TV viewers have now doubled, since those recorded in 2017, with F1 now regularly beating the North American single seater Indycar audience and its now closing the gap to the fanatically supported NASCAR racing series to under a million viewers last time out in Hungary.
The number of race weekends has been increased under Liberty from the regular 19-20 events a year to the maximum agreed 24. Sprint race weekends were also introduced in 2021 which have since been increased from three each year to the current level of six.
Domenicali: ‘More Sprint weekends’
However, F1’s supremo Stefano Domenicali believes there is further developments in the pipeline, which could increase the total number of race venues to as much as thirty, with up to twelve hosting events on alternative seasons meaning the total number of races remains at twenty four.
This dream is a long way from happening as the current pipeline of potential new F1 venues has for the time dried up. Talk of an African Grand Prix still lingers in the paddock, but so far the only new host confirmed is Madrid for 2026.
Now Domenicali believes the Sprint weekend format should be extended beyond the six race weekends currently agreed with the FIA. Speaking to the Race podcast, the Italian reveals more and more promoters are asking for their F1 weekend to include the Sprint format and this along with other changes are currently under consideration.
“I 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,” said F1’s supremo when asked about the future of the Sprint. “There are: can we apply that [sprint schedules] with more races? And 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.
F1 reverse grids again under consideration
“I think that we are getting there to be mature to make sure that this point will be tackled seriously with the teams. The vibes to progress in this direction are definitely growing, and therefore I’m ready to present and to discuss not only more sprints…but if there are new formats, new ideas.”
A reverse grid Sprint would mean once again the format of Sprint weekends will need to change. It’s first iteration saw a single qualifying session on Friday afternoon, which decided the starting order for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix. This was changed by unanimous s decision last season, when the schedule was changed with Sprint qualifying only to take place on Friday afternoon’s.
The Sprint now happens on Saturday morning, with parc ferme then suspended until Grand Prix qualifying in the afternoon. A reverse grid system for the Sprint would see F1 return to one qualifying session, where the final standings would represent the starting order for the Grand Prix. For the Sprint, which would presumably remain in its Saturday afternoon slot, the top ten in qualifying would start in reverse order as they currently do in F2 and F3.
Reverse grids were discussed prior to the introduction of the Sprint in 2021, but there was resistance from the paddock and the fans so the idea was dropped. Domenicali now argues resistance to reverse grids in the Sprint has now softened. “We are open for that, because I think that’s the right thing – to listen to our fans, to try to create something, and not to be worried to do mistakes,” he revealed. “The one who believes to do no mistakes doesn’t do anything new.”
Maximising F1 content a “massive task”
In terms of increasing the number of Sprint weekends, F1’s CEO is adamant its the right thing to do. Yet unlike MotoGP where every weekend is a Sprint format, Domenicali believes there is a half way house which can be achieved.
“I think that the sprint, whatever will be the right format, we need to have it. It will represent the future,” he said. “I’m not saying no, but I think that, between six and 24, we have to do steps into the middle.”
A return to all F1 weekends being non-sprint events, is not one of the changes Domenicali is seeking and he insists that a 24 race F1 schedule is here to stay despite some complaints from the paddock. “Today, the number of partners that not only we have, but also the teams have, means that the platform is valuable,” he said. “When I say valuable, I go back to the point [that it] is right in terms of the commercial offer. If it wouldn’t be right, it wouldn’t be so popular.”
Whilst accepting there is a limit to how much F1 racing there can be in any given year, Domenicali notes the number of events in other sporting categories. “Don’t forget one thing which is relevant I believe. We are in a world where content is very important to be attractive or relevant. We have only 24 races. Football has 70 games. Baseball, 165 games, every day on TV. So to generate content to be attractive with only, I would say, 24 races, is a massive task.”
F1 rookie only races
One topic up for discussion earlier this season, was whether F1 could facilitate a rookie only event. A single race each year was proposed, which would take place on a traditional Sprint weekend. Others believe the Sprints themselves could become all rookie series, with a Friday practice, qualifying and race all taking place on Friday. The regularly drivers would take over on Saturday morning with a single practice session before Grand Prix qualifying to follow.
This rookie F1 Sprint series, would take place on weekends when F2 and F3 are not in town. Many racing series use a performance ‘balancer’ unlike Formula One, which in recent years has seen the Sunday race outcomes heavily dependent on what happened in qualifying.
Some have argued the only way to prevent processional F1 racing, is for the fastest car not to start first. There’s a precedent for this back in the Schumacher years, where during the refuelling era, it was the car with the least fuel which made pole, not necessarily the quickest driver and car combination.
This is evident when looking at Michael Schumacher’s career as given his number of wins, the ratio of pole positions was much lower than say Hamilton, Vettel and Verstappen in their pomp when refuelling had been banned. The big regulation changes coming for next season, may well have the desired effect of shaking up the pecking order, but for now the fastest F1 car qualifies on pole and more often than not is best placed to win the race.
Ferraris’ SHOCK reason for retaining Vasseur
Remarkable Ferrari admission over reason for retaining Vasseur – As Formula One entered the summer break, the usual contractual dance between Toto Wolff and his drivers was set to continue. Both Russell and Antonelli are out of contract come the end of this season, and as was the case last tome driver contracts were awarded, no white smoke is expected in Brackley before racing resumes at the end of the month.
Yet in a surprise move, Ferrari announced they had extended their team bosses tenure in Maranello with the proverbial “multi-year” deal announced intended to project some stability to the Ferrari team. Fred Vasseur had increasingly come under fire in the Italian media for failing to deliver on the team’s 2024 end of season promise, where they had the fastest car across the final two triple header weekends.
Leclerc and Sainz closed down a 79 point gap to McLaren which is existed with six race weekends of the year remaining. They and the team came up just 14 points short, of claiming the constructors’ championship for the first time since 2008…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
