Carlos Sainz has admitted that he would not oppose a major change to the Formula 1 Sprint format — even if it meant introducing a reverse grid. The Spanish driver said he is open to experimentation after a few Sprint weekends that have failed to impress either drivers or fans, arguing that the event needs “something a bit spicier.”
One of the main criticisms aimed at Sprint races is that they often replicate the opening stint of Sunday’s main Grand Prix. Drivers usually use medium tyres for the short race, which is also the typical starting compound for most Grands Prix. As a result, many drivers see little value in the Sprint sessions, describing them as somewhat redundant.
Carlos Sainz, who achieved Williams’ best-ever Sprint result with third place in Austin, believes Formula 1 should mandate the use of the softest tyre compound for Sprint events. He also argued that the sport should not shy away from testing new ideas — including the controversial concept of an inverted starting grid.
The words of Carlos Sainz
“You could have a wet race in Canada or a downpour in Singapore, and that could end up being the best Sprint in history,” said Carlos Sainz. “I think what’s really needed is a change in the format itself, and I believe Stefano Domenicali is open to that idea.”
“At the moment, I’m not a huge fan of the Sprints, because they basically reveal what the first stint of Sunday’s race will look like. And since the qualifying format is the same as the one for Sunday, we end up knowing too much in advance. I’d prefer to have different concepts for the Sprints so that they don’t give away too much about the main race,” the Spaniard explained.
He then suggested: “A simple idea could be to make sure everyone takes part in the Sprint race using soft tyres, which would naturally lead to higher tyre degradation.”
“Normally, there are very few tracks where we choose soft tyres for the opening stint of a race, so this could be a simple and short-term solution. Especially since we sometimes end up throwing away five sets of tyres,” he added.
“Every weekend in qualifying we do one lap on soft tyres and then give them back,” continued Sainz. “I don’t know where Pirelli keeps them, but for us they’re one-lap tyres — so it could be a simple fix to make better use of those sets.”
“But probably, something a bit more exciting is needed — the Sprint race should be a chance to try new things and think outside the box. If it works, great; if not, just change it again, like we’ve done before,” said the Williams driver.
“I’m not a big fan of reverse grids, but I wouldn’t be completely against trying something different. Even Sprint qualifying could change — maybe introduce a superpole session in SQ3. The idea is to keep adding variety and testing new concepts. If something works, fantastic — it improves the format. But if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to admit it: scrap it, acknowledge it failed, and try something else,” Carlos Sainz concluded.
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