Russell On Potential New Sprint Format: 'The Concept Won't Work'

Wednesday, 06 December 2023 at 09:11

Updated at Wednesday, 06 December 2023 at 09:13

Mercedes driver George Russell recently explained why reversed grid on sprint races won't work, in his opinion.

Sprint weekend destinations for 2024 have just been revealed, and we now know there will be six sprint races next season in China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil, and Qatar.

FIA president Ben Sulayem said he will be working with FOM (Formula One Management) and F1 teams to "define the future direction of the Sprint format."

One of the most suggested changes in 2023 has been the reversed or half-reversed (only top ten) grid for the sprint races.

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While it sounds exciting that we would see the top drivers and teams fighting from the back to the front and we would expect to see a lot of racing, George Russell does not think it will work:

"I won't talk on behalf of the drivers, but my own personal view is that I don't think reverse grid races will work."

The reversed grid is something that has been in use already in rookie series like Formula 2 or Formula 3, but Russell said it was exactly there where he learned the downsides of reversed grids.

"Purely because I learned when I raced in Formula 2 and Formula 3, is that if you've got the 10 fastest cars, the most challenging car to overtake is the one who you are fighting with."

The Mercedes driver suggests that the toughest battle you might possibly have is with your direct rival, and a reversed grid ensures everybody has a battle with their direct rival. He thinks that would not help in relation to providing more overtakes.

"If you reverse that grid, you are going to have the quickest car in 10th, trying to overtake the second quickest car in ninth, who is trying to overtake the third quickest car in eight, so each car is trying to overtake their most direct competitor."

The 25-year-old raised a valid concern backed with facts and experience. Russell further explained how he thought it would turn out to bring the point home:

"What you'll probably find is that it'll just be a DRS train because you might have a Williams leading from a Haas who he can't quite get past, who is leading from an Alpine who is leading from a McLaren or whoever. The concept won't work."