Inverted grids are abandoned for 2020
The new qualification format for three rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship did not receive all the necessary votes to be implemented for the 2020 season.
It was an innovation desired by Liberty Media with Ross Brawn, its technical director, at the forefront. Indeed, to promote the entertainment aspect of Formula 1, Liberty Media does not hesitate to explore new avenues and take inspiration from other disciplines to experiment with new solutions in the premier category of motorsport.
For the 2020 French, Belgian, and Russian Grand Prix, the current qualifying format was set to be replaced by a 45-minute qualifying race that would have started in reverse order of the World Championship standings.
The results of this race would have determined the starting order for the Grand Prix on Sunday. With a distance of less than 100km, drivers would not have been required to pit to change tires during this race. Additionally, they could have started with the compound of their choice.
This topic was discussed during a meeting in Paris at the FIA headquarters last week with all the teams. However, this new format did not receive the complete support necessary to modify the 2020 regulations.
Some teams at the top of the standings reportedly voted against this measure because they are not sure they could overtake all their competitors if they started last.
This decision therefore fell through for the 2020 season, but Liberty Media can revise its plans and propose this new format for 2021. This time, only 50% of the teams are needed for the approval of this measure.
