F1 "can't be held back by history" - Ross Brawn

British Grand Prix

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F1 "can't be held back by history" - Brawn

F1 completed its first sprint qualifying event at Silverstone

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Thursday 22 July 2021 14:50

Ross Brawn has hinted F1 will consider giving pole to the fastest in qualifying at future sprint events but insisted the sport "can't be held back by history".

Max Verstappen took victory in the inaugural 100-kilometre sprint event to cement pole for the British Grand Prix, despite Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest single-lap qualifying time on Friday evening.

The decision to award pole to the winner of the sprint rather than the fastest qualifier was described as "wrong" by Sebastian Vettel ahead of the weekend.

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With statistics up until now recognising pole winners as the fastest in qualifying, Brawn was asked if the sport was severing ties to its history, to which he replied: "It is something we need to think about, if there is some change in the nomenclature of what we are doing.

"Should Friday be the pole position? It is things like that we will talk about and discuss with the FIA and the teams.

"But we can't be held back by history. We can respect history but we can't be held back by history."

Brawn urges "different perspective" over Hamilton 'disadvantage'

Sceptics and hardcore F1 fans would point to Hamilton being forced to start from second for the grand prix as a negative for the format due to the fact he had qualified as the fastest.

Brawn urged for a change of focus, however, suggesting the seven-time champion would have benefitted from the extra 17 laps.

Put to him that Hamilton's Friday performance had disappeared with the sprint race, Brawn referred to the fact the Briton still started second, and he had a second chance to make amends.

It was one Hamilton duly took, albeit in controversial circumstances given his first-lap collision with Verstappen that sent the Red Bull driver spearing into a barrier at 150mph.

"If that had been the proper race, he wouldn't have won it," added Brawn. "Look at it from that perspective. He had another opportunity."