Reverse grids...

[413x]

I know most people will not agree but I think reverse grids would be great.
Or remove Mercedes. And reverse grids are easier.

An idea floating around is to replace quali at some races with a back to front (by championship order) and have a sprint race. The results of that are where you start for the race.

I think it would be great.

Thoughts?

 

[Yaayuh!]

I need someone to explain exactly how they plan to do reverse grids as I don't understand what they mean.

Quali would be a short race started in the reverse order of the previous race result? edit: Ah, championship order.

 

[Kenai]

I need someone to explain exactly how they plan to do reverse grids as I don't understand what they mean.

My understanding is the most typical suggestion is that instead of qualifying on single lap pace as they do now, they run a 45 minute race (for example) where the starting line up is the current Championship standing in reverse.

So if the next race was to take this approach, you'd line up with Grosjean and Russell on the front row, with Lewis and Bottas on the back row.

Wherever they all stand by the end of this 'Sprint Race' is where they start for the 'Feature Race' on the Sunday.

It (in theory) gives you a very exciting sprint race because the fastest cars are at the back and the slowest at the front, so lots of overtaking. It should also (in theory) close up the Championship itself as it would be much harder for one car/team to consistently work from the back to the front over the two races every weekend.

 

[Yaayuh!]

My understanding is the most typical suggestion is that instead of qualifying on single lap pace as they do now, they run a 45 minute race (for example) where the starting line up is the current Championship standing in reverse.

So if the next race was to take this approach, you'd line up with Grosjean and Russell on the front row, with Lewis and Bottas on the back row.

Wherever they all stand by the end of this 'Sprint Race' is where they start for the 'Feature Race' on the Sunday.

It (in theory) gives you a very exciting sprint race because the fastest cars are at the back and the slowest at the front, so lots of overtaking. It should also (in theory) close up the Championship itself as it would be much harder for one car/team to consistently work from the back to the front over the two races every weekend.

Thanks.

Given the fact that overtaking is incredibly hard in the current era, i'm not sure how well this is going to work. Imagine Monaco... lol. But definitely interesting.

 

[EddScott]

You'd be a bit miffed if you wrecked your car in the Saturday sprint race.

Doubt the top teams would agree to this.

 

[413x]

You'd be a bit miffed if you wrecked your car in the Saturday sprint race.

Doubt the top teams would agree to this.

This is the issue. There's always going to be someone who loses out. Right now that's merc. And they won't agree

 

[413x]

Thanks.

Given the fact that overtaking is incredibly hard in the current era, i'm not sure how well this is going to work. Imagine Monaco... lol. But definitely interesting.

It wouldn't be all races. You couldn't do it at Monaco. Which shows Monaco shouldn't be on the calendar

 

[Steeps]

I'd rather see sprinklers than reverse grid. If you're going to gimmick, make it an exciting one rather than one which will cause a train due to the engine mode ban.

Or just ban blue flags, will have the same effect, fast car unable to get past slow car.

 

[413x]

I'd rather see sprinklers than reverse grid. If you're going to gimmick, make it an exciting one rather than one which will cause a train due to the engine mode ban.

Or just ban blue flags, will have the same effect, fast car unable to get past slow car.

Id totally be up for sprinklers.

Set at a random time for a random time.

 

[Steeps]

"Random" would lead to more viewers claiming favouritism or rigged racing, I'd do it Formula E style with a "weather radar" showing the risk of sprinklers and drivers can speed up/slow down the risk by driving over certain parts of the track until it's triggered. Of course the trigger for sprinklers is close to the racing line, the trigger to drop the percentage is off the racing line. Fanboost to give drivers more power over their trigger. They've already introduced the mariokart banana as Vettel keeps hitting them.

Having two races a weekend will increase the amount of spare parts teams will need to bring to circuits, increasing manufacturing costs and logistics.

 

[Entai]

"Random" would lead to more viewers claiming favouritism or rigged racing, I'd do it Formula E style with a "weather radar" showing the risk of sprinklers and drivers can speed up/slow down the risk by driving over certain parts of the track until it's triggered. Of course the trigger for sprinklers is close to the racing line, the trigger to drop the percentage is off the racing line. Fanboost to give drivers more power over their trigger. They've already introduced the mariokart banana as Vettel keeps hitting them.

Having two races a weekend will increase the amount of spare parts teams will need to bring to circuits, increasing manufacturing costs and logistics.

While now working to a far tighter budget.

Highly doubt you will ever find any team to agree to anything that increased their costs in any way.

 

[mmj_uk]

The thing is they will bring in reverse grids and sprinklers and then after a few years the masses that F1 seems to want to court will be bored of it and demand even wackier stuff to excite them every moment of every race. IMO F1 has already become the WWE of the racing world, at some point you just have to accept it for what it is and stop getting crazier and crazier in an attempt to take over the world. If I was in power I'd turn the clocks back about 25 years if people don't like it go watch a demolition derby or something.

 

[JBeck]

This is the issue. There's always going to be someone who loses out. Right now that's merc. And they won't agree

Hamilton didn't have too much trouble getting through the slower cars last time out, Bottas however would be the biggest loser, he's not on the same level as Hamilton when it comes to overtaking.

It would be fun for the odd race.

 

[JBeck]

I'd rather see sprinklers than reverse grid. If you're going to gimmick, make it an exciting one rather than one which will cause a train due to the engine mode ban.

Or just ban blue flags, will have the same effect, fast car unable to get past slow car.

How can't a faster car get past a slower car?

 

[Steeps]

How can't a faster car get past a slower car?

The commentary might be annoying at times but every race they explain this. Unless a car is 1.5-2sec a lap quicker than the one in front they simply cannot get a decent run on an exit, slipstream behind the car in front, pull out and outbreak into the next corner without serious assistance from the likes of managed hybrid boost, fresher tyres, DRS or engine modes. This is why the likes of Mercedes still want to get pole and are disappointed if they don't get the front row, they might be a second quicker than the Red Bull in race trim but that's not enough for a simple overtake without taking significant life out of the tyres, changing to a less optimum strategy or cooking the car.

Bottas struggled because he was in a chain of cars who were only a second slower, closely bunched on the same strategy and all had access to DRS. Hamilton was not on the same strategy, had open air between cars and was overtaking slower cars.

 

[413x]

The commentary might be annoying at times but every race they explain this. Unless a car is 1.5-2sec a lap quicker than the one in front they simply cannot get a decent run on an exit, slipstream behind the car in front, pull out and outbreak into the next corner without serious assistance from the likes of managed hybrid boost, fresher tyres, DRS or engine modes. This is why the likes of Mercedes still want to get pole and are disappointed if they don't get the front row, they might be a second quicker than the Red Bull in race trim but that's not enough for a simple overtake without taking significant life out of the tyres, changing to a less optimum strategy or cooking the car.

Bottas struggled because he was in a chain of cars who were only a second slower, closely bunched on the same strategy and all had access to DRS. Hamilton was not on the same strategy, had open air between cars and was overtaking slower cars.

He still did better.
Bottas made literally no ground. Hamilton made so much. He was nearly up to Bottas.

 

[JBeck]

The commentary might be annoying at times but every race they explain this. Unless a car is 1.5-2sec a lap quicker than the one in front they simply cannot get a decent run on an exit, slipstream behind the car in front, pull out and outbreak into the next corner without serious assistance from the likes of managed hybrid boost, fresher tyres, DRS or engine modes. This is why the likes of Mercedes still want to get pole and are disappointed if they don't get the front row, they might be a second quicker than the Red Bull in race trim but that's not enough for a simple overtake without taking significant life out of the tyres, changing to a less optimum strategy or cooking the car.

Bottas struggled because he was in a chain of cars who were only a second slower, closely bunched on the same strategy and all had access to DRS. Hamilton was not on the same strategy, had open air between cars and was overtaking slower cars.

So basically you're saying that had Hamilton been in Bottas position then he wouldn't have overtaken the cars in front?

 

[mysticsniper]

Anyone get the feeling that this idea came from Ferrari in an attempt to win same races? Especially with Ross Brawn at the forefront of F1.

I'd rather see proper night racing, stick some lights on their cars, sit back and watch the carnage

 

[this_is_gav]

I'd rather see proper night racing, stick some lights on their cars, sit back and watch the carnage

It's called World Endurance Championship. Or any GT series.

And following cars at night in any real detail is nearly impossible as all you can see from most external cameras are headlights.

As for Ferrari? Who knows. It's hardly only in Ferrari's interest though - everyone on the grid, except Mercedes and possibly Racing Point, benefit to a degree, and given Ferrari's straight line speed they would easily be overtaken anyway. I just think it was a genuine idea to bring the excellent midfield battles to the forefront.

 

[mid_gen]

Surely the obvious solution to boring racing is to hobble the aerodynamics through rule changes to reduce the advantage that clean air has.

DRS sucks and always has done. Nothing more annoying than hearing commentators hyperventilating as someone drives past someone else with DRS. Yawn.