Mercedes chief Toto Wolff slams supposed solution to F1 sprint race controversy

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff — Photo: © LAT Images

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Mercedes chief Wolff slams supposed solution to F1 sprint race controversy

F1 is grappling with the sprint race format after mixed results in 2023

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 6 December 2023 18:42 Updated: 20:32

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has labelled the idea of reverse grid sprint races in Formula 1 as 'really stupid'.

F1 have now confirmed that sprint races are back for 2024, with six venues now locked in to host the shortened race format.

China and Miami have been added to the list – replacing Azerbaijan and Belgium – while Austin, Austria, Brazil, and Qatar all keep their spots.

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Yet not everyone has been enthralled with the idea of sprint races – perhaps none more so than Max Verstappen – as the sport looks to find a way to appease some of the issues with the changed weekend format.

Toto Wolff is not a fan of reverse grids for sprint races

Austria is one of four venues to keep their sprint race for next season

One idea that is often touted is that of a reverse grid for the sprint race, seeing the fastest start from the back and vice versa.

If this were to be implemented, it would likely be done on championship standing rather than qualifying in a bid to stop intentionally slow lap times.

Yet even this proposal would not tick the box for Wolff, who believes that reverse grids would be akin to watching WWE.

Wolff: Reverse grid for sprint races 'really stupid'

"I can understand the service, that people like it – there’s more people like it than don’t," he said (via Speedcafe).

“Maybe I’m too purist, too old school, but I’d rather have a grand prix than a sprint race weekend. We need to know that a grand prix is at two or three o’clock in the afternoon, and that’s it.

“We’ve now done these sprint race weekends, and we are tweaking the format, which I think is positive.

F1 fans will have six sprint races to look forward to – or otherwise – during the 2024 season

“To a degree, you do a sprint qualifying, you do a sprint race, you do grand prix qualifying, and you do a grand prix. That works much better.

“We talked about reverse grid races. I can get my head around a reverse grid sprint race because at least we are really declaring that’s the stupid race.

"Six times a year, we’re doing something that is really stupid, and everybody knows to differentiate that.

“There will be other winners and different podiums, that’s refreshing. So we do WWE on Saturday six times, and then we play Formula 1 24 times on Sunday.”

Max Verstappen Mercedes Formula 1 Toto Wolff