Though they proceed to impress emotions of apathy for a big portion of Method 1’s hardcore fanbase, dash races have now turn out to be deeply ensconced as a sporting component of the trendy world championship.
Dash races had been introduced in after Liberty Media assumed possession of F1’s business rights holder FOM – and Liberty are evidently eager on the format.
Method 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, particularly, seems to be the most important fan of dash races of anybody. Underneath his management, dash races have doubled from three per season to 6 over the past three seasons.
Domenicali has beforehand mooted the concept of introducing reverse grids into the game for grand prix occasions. Whereas the concept has lengthy confronted opposition from groups, he has as soon as once more begun pushing the concept of reversing grids for dash races, as seen in F2 and F3.
The dash race format is barely seen at one-quarter of the world championship rounds and Domenicali’s enthusiasm for it’s clearly not shared by most of the drivers. However having progressively established the idea, has the time come to shake it up once more with an much more radical change?
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For
Dash races exist for one motive solely: leisure. An try to supply a extra bite-sized, intense type of racing to thrill followers even additional. As a result of if F1’s followers love racing, why not give them extra of it?
However too usually, the 100km races fail to ship the spectacle that everybody would need to see. And sometimes it’s the identical staff and drivers ‘combating’ for the victory and factors paying positions that followers can anticipate to see doing so on Sunday.
So by inverting all or a part of the grid, you’d all however assure followers the thrill of seeing uncommon vehicles and drivers combating for the victory and seeing the quickest vehicles on the grid having to work to achieve positions from deep within the pack. What’s to not love?
Towards
Reverse grids work for junior formulae, that are inherently purported to be coaching grounds for drivers looking for to compete in the future in Method 1 or different main championships.
By forcing the quickest groups and drivers to start out from the center of the grid, they’re serving to to present important racing expertise to probably the most proficient drivers and providing alternatives for many who might must develop their expertise extra an opportunity to style the extraordinary strain of battling for a podium or win. A chance they may not usually get.
And on condition that drivers could be racing of their positions by means of completely synthetic means, what worth would there really be if, say, Gabriel Bortoleto wins a dash race for Sauber from reverse grid pole?
I say
Stefano Domenicali is definitely a fiercely clever determine, who has made a extra significant contribution to each Ferrari and Method 1 as a sport than the overwhelming majority of individuals ever to work for both. But typically, it’s arduous to know what his motivation is behind a few of his takes in regards to the racing collection he presides over.
Oh no, that’s proper. The motivation is cash.
It will be silly to fake to not see why reverse grids are interesting. Certain, let’s see how far the McLaren drivers can rise from the again row of the grid in 20 laps. That may be much more intriguing a prospect than most dash races are ever prone to provide at the perfect of occasions.
However there are far, far too many issues with reverse grids to ever severely fathom introducing them into the present dash format.
Initially, how a lot of the grid is ‘reversed’? The highest ten, like in F2, or the complete area? Whichever they do, how do they resolve the unique grid order to reverse? The outcomes of Friday qualifying? What’s the incentive for drivers to do their greatest in dash qualifying, in that case?
Then there’s an important query of championship factors. Previously a reward completely withheld for prime ten finishers in a grand prix, they’re at the moment handed out to the highest eight in Saturday dash races too. In case you introduce reverse grids, will drivers nonetheless earn factors primarily based on their ending positions? If they are going to, gained’t that result in farcical dash qualifying periods the place drivers are trying to get the tenth-fastest time? And in case you take away factors from reverse grid races, what’s the incentive for drivers to care about dash races in any respect?
Reverse grids make no sense in Method 1. In any capability. Sooner or later, the pursuit of making worth for promoters has to overridden by the pursuit of sustaining F1’s worth as a sporting competitors. One that’s purported to be probably the most prestigious circuit racing contest on the planet.
Finally, dash races want reverse grids about as a lot as Method 1 wants dash races to start with.
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You say
Would you prefer to see reverse grids launched into F1’s dash race format? Forged your vote beneath and have your say within the feedback.
Do you agree that F1 ought to introduce reverse grids to its dash race format?
- No reply (3%)
- Strongly disagree (63%)
- Barely disagree (4%)
- Neither agree nor disagree (7%)
- Barely agree (10%)
- Strongly agree (13%)
Complete Voters: 158
Loading …Which grand prix weekend format would you like?
- Conventional grand prix format with out dash races (77%)
- Dash races with absolutely reversed (complete area) grids (13%)
- Dash races with partially reversed (prime ten) grids (4%)
- Present dash race format (6%)
Complete Voters: 134
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