“It is not WWE”- Toto Wolff criticizes the idea of introducing the reverse grid into Formula1, with authorities intend to spice up the drama.
Formula 1 is reportedly viewing the possibility of introducing reverse-grid into the sport in order to spice up the drama into the sport, and many of the lower rung teams have also advocated the move.
On the other hand, Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has absolutely discarded the idea and calls that the concept of the sport is around meritocracy and it is not a drama to entice audience while tampering the results.
If you ever need proof that it doesn’t matter about the track, cars, aero, regulations, reverse grids and all that matters is the cars are close and the race winner is unpredictable. This race is it.
Can’t remember the last time I was this excited during an F1 race.
— Tom Bellingham (@TommyWTF1) September 6, 2020
“We should not be designing freak results where it is almost impossible to overtake just because we believe the pecking order should be different.
“This is a meritocracy, it is a sport where the best man and best machine wins,” Wolff said. The team principal of Mercedes said that he “liked variability and unpredictability.”
Such as happened at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend when a safety car, red flag and penalty for Lewis Hamilton allowed Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly to come through for a surprise victory.
But Wolff added: “No-one wants a winner started from a reverse grid. It is not worldwide wrestling, where the outcome is completely random.
I can see why people are against reverse grids. You don’t want this tension in your life.
— Pablo Elizalde (@EliGP) September 6, 2020
“If you want to do random, let’s make it a show, but the core DNA of the sport is being an entertainment platform. It is not a show. It is not a reality show and it is not Big Brother and I don’t think we should be going there.”
Mercedes totally against the idea
Ross Brawn, the managing director of Formula 1 has to try out reverse-grid qualifying races at a handful of races this season, which was outright blocked by Mercedes. Moreover, the recent result at Monza gave F1 the new impetus further complicating the situation.
Despite it, Brawn believed that he could use the new idea if Mercedes win the Championship early in the season, giving him a free-way to try out the reverse-grid amendments.
But Wolff’s comments above nowhere signal that situation and would probably reject the idea, even if Mercedes bag the championship with few more races still to go.
