Formula One is always trying to innovate in order to make the Grand Prix weekend more interesting. Hence, there were talks held to have a reverse grid, which meant the top-3 drivers in the qualifying session would start from the back. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel immediately shot the idea down when they were asked about it back in 2019.
There is no surprise that Lewis and Sebastian both didn’t like the idea of reverse grids as they had brilliant cars; having a reverse grid would substantially affect their chances of winning a race.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel join hands to shoot down the idea of reverse grids
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Back in 2019 at the Singapore Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was sitting alongside Vettel and Hamilton. When the media asked Vettel and Hamilton to give their thoughts on the idea of reverse grids, they both didn’t hesitate to shoot it down.
Hamilton started off by shrugging his shoulders and saying, “I don’t know really what to say to it. The people that propose that don’t really know what they’re talking about, so…”
The 4-time world champion teased the Mercedes driver by asking him, “What did you say? What did you say?” Both gave each other a smile, and Vettel responded to the question about the idea of the reverse grid by saying, “Well I think that’s complete bulls**t, to be honest.”
Hamilton burst into laughter and said, “That’s exactly what I said,” Vettel added, “Did you say that?”
Watch Story: From Shocking Lewis Hamilton Crash to Ferrari Pit Stop Blunder: Most Sensational Moments in Bahrain GP History
Has the Grand Prix format changed in F1?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The 2021 Formula One season saw the introduction of Sprint Qualifying. This meant the traditional format of the Grand Prix weekend was changed but only for three races of the season.
Sprint Qualifying replaced the final practice session of the weekend and introduced a 100 km race. The result would set the grid for Sunday’s race, and the top-3 finishers would get points. (1st-3, 2nd-2, and 3rd-1). For the 2021 season, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos were chosen as the venues to have Sprint Qualifying.
Do you see the Formula One weekend format being changed in the future to make the race more exciting? Let us know what you think in the comments section down below.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Read More: “Kill Hill” – Damon Hill Goes on Enraged Twitter Rant Protecting Lewis Hamilton