Sergio Pérez supports the reverse grid for sprint formats

In a recent article, Motors Inside discussed the different opinions of the drivers regarding the sprint race format and whether they were in favor of keeping it, popularizing it, or changing it. Last weekend at Interlagos, the sixth and final sprint race of the season took place.

Among these drivers, Max Verstappen stands his ground and simply wants the sprint to disappear.

We should simply get rid of the sprint weekend, and then everyone can adjust their cars normally. It wouldn’t have been possible for us to have a normal race weekend. These things only happen when you have a sprint weekend where everything is so rushed between FP1 and qualifying,” he said in a press conference after the disqualification of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the United States Grand Prix.

For Sergio Pérez, the format has a future, but provided that there are changes. “Yes, I think we are all driving to the limit we have,” said Perez after last Saturday’s sprint, before adding, “I think if they want to keep this sprint race format, it needs to be changed. Because I think in the last two years, this type of event has not produced many good races.”

I would propose a reversed grid, something like that, to make it more interesting for the fans because I think it doesn’t work. […] Nothing really happens in this kind of races.

A strong opinion on this format that aligns with the initial wish of another driver, Lewis Hamilton, who had stated, “The best sprint I’ve done is the one where I started last. So I’m in favor of a reverse grid.” Except that if we have the same system, everyone would try to qualify last. A middle ground needs to be found for F1, so that the format continues to evolve for future seasons.