Toto Wolff applauded for fighting Mercedes' corner on reverse grid idea

Formula 1

Wolff applauded for fighting Mercedes' corner on reverse grid idea

Mercedes was the only team to block the plan

Sam Hall

Wednesday 10 June 2020 11:53 Updated: 12:29

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Formula 1 managing director motorsports Ross Brawn has commended Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff for robustly defending his team's position on the idea of reverse grid races.

When leaving Mercedes at the end of 2013, Brawn warned Wolff he would need to protect the political position of the team within Formula 1.

Now on the other side of the fence, Brawn is a victim of his own advice as Wolff was the lone voice against the possibility of reverse grid races in 2020.

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“I don’t think Toto needed my advice," Brawn told the Sky Sports F1 Show. "He’s been very good at defending his position. He’s a very bright guy and he’s been defending Mercedes’ position very well."

With Austria and Silverstone hosting back-to-back events, the idea for the second race at each circuit was to stage a reverse championship order sprint race instead of regular qualifying to determine the grid for Sunday's main event.

Wolff opposed the proposition on three points, primarily that some teams would try to play "a strategy game" in order to secure pole; secondly, that F1 is about meritocracy and does not require "a show format like wrestling"; and finally, conceding the reason was "inward-looking", there was a championship to consider.

In response, Brawn said: “I think in reply to some of Toto’s comments, some of them are valid.

"But why we resurrected this idea was because of the consecutive races at the same track, which we’re going to have for at least two races this year, maybe more, and therefore it seemed an ideal opportunity at the second race to try a different format.

“I think those issues that Toto was concerned about, most of them could be addressed with the teams working well together, but of course, at the moment it needs a unanimous decision."

Brawn, however, did not rule out the possibility of reverse grids being brought back to the table at some stage, adding: “We’ve dropped the idea for now.”

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