Overview

• Charles Leclerc said reverse grids are not part of Formula 1’s DNA, adding he would only consider the concept for a sprint race, not a standard grand prix weekend.
• F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has floated trialling reverse grids and is exploring a larger sprint program for 2027.
• The current schedule features six sprints across a 24-race calendar, accounting for roughly a quarter of events.
• Formula 2 and Formula 3 run reverse-grid sprint races by flipping the top 10 from qualifying and awarding fewer points.
• Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have previously condemned reverse grids, while Max Verstappen has criticised sprints more broadly and Domenicali maintains the format should evolve rather than be dropped.