Simple or nonsense? Ecclestone wants to exclude Formula 1

Bernie Ecclestone has a new idea for a sprint race in Formula 1. Ex-Zampano suggests using the result of Saturday’s race as the basis for reversal starts for Sunday. “The key is to get it right,” the 90-year-old said “Auto Motor Undue Sport”.

The sprint race in Formula 1 is not only on everyone’s lips since the last meeting of the Formula 1 commission. Liberty Media, the FIA ​​and ten racing teams originally agreed to experiment with sprint races this season.

However, it is still not entirely clear how the format should look specifically. Three sprint races are planned in Canada, Italy and Brazil. Qualification will be postponed until Friday afternoon and two practice sessions will be canceled, with the short run to be held on Saturday afternoon at approximately 30 minutes.

How does Bernie Ecclestone’s proposal actually work?

A working group should now work on the details, as many questions are still open. Bernie Ecclestone is not surprised to be discussing the Formula 1 idea again, which was already in discussion several times in his day.

Brits said the current proposal has an important gripe: “People only watch the main race when something more is offered than a sprint.” It is currently planned that the results to be obtained from Friday will form the starting grid for the sprint race on Saturday.

The result of the first race should be changed to the starting grid for the main race on Sunday – without a “reverse grid”. But this is exactly where Ecclestone’s new proposal comes. Because he thinks where should the diversity be when the sprint result also sets the grid for Sunday?

His idea: “You have to score points for the sprint race and then change the grid for the main race accordingly. If the winner of the sprint race gets 15 points, he has to return 15 starting places on Sunday.” This is the only way to guarantee stress.

So top drivers can avoid everything in the sprint on Saturday and not risk it so they can start at a better starting position for Sunday. “My system makes both races exciting,” Ecclestone believes. On the contrary, it will provide a great opportunity to small teams.

The former Sutra 1 managing director is convinced of his idea, “It will be found on Sunday by first-line people who would otherwise never make it there.” However, the idea of ​​”reverse grid” was already thwarted last year due to the veto of some teams, especially Mercedes.

Daniel Ricardo: Why is the McLaren driver worried?

The pilots are not yet fully convinced about the proposal for the new format. Daniel Ricciardo, for example, admits that he initially had a “reservation”, “but I think of it better than the reverse grid”, thus rejecting the new Ecclestone idea.

It is clear to the McLaren driver that Formula 1 must be careful to “manipulate or artificially” play the game. Ultimately, the best drivers and teams must remain on top. However, he would have nothing against twice as much as was currently the plan.

“Of course, I like the most and I want to do more races and less training,” he admits. “So it’s going in a direction that I like. But the most important thing for me is that a Formula 1 win is still as big as it should be.”

Ricardius warned the rulers of the successes of “toppling down” with artificial tricks. Therefore, he also sets a condition: “As long as the other race has the same value, I am open to it.”