"Reverse the Grid," Sez Head

[SentraWV]

Williams guru Patrick Head has an interesting idea (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7282861.stm) to spice up F1 - set the starting order in reverse order to championship position. In other words, put the fast guys in the back:
But Head, speaking ahead of the start of the new season in Australia, says he does not think they [the 2009 changes] will make a big impact.

"If you allow the guys to do all this practice and testing and then you line them up with the fastest at the front and the slowest at the back, why should there be any overtaking?" he said.

That's a good point.

NP: Genesis, Archive: 1967-1975

[ShortysTRM]

I'd imagine we'd see some drivers killed. I already cringe during the first corner, wondering who will actually make it out. Formula 1 isn't necessarily about overtaking. I believe it was Bob Varsha who said "A pass in Formula 1 is worth 500 in NASCAR." I love the fact that it's a nerve-wrenching, tiptoe process right now, it just helps add to the excitement. With all of the crazy aero packages, the cars can't touch each other with losing winglets or barge boards, and the fact that they're open wheel means they can't touch tires, either. Some people think it's boring, but it takes a hell of a lot more skill not to hit your opponent than it does to hit them. I'd hate to see Lewis Hamilton knocked out in the first stretch because the Force India-Ferrari in front of him broke the nose off of his car.

Regardless of the race series, I'm not a fan of reversed starting grids, as I think it tries to create artificial competition at the expense of safety and fairness. If you put them in reverse championship order, there'd be no need for qualifying, which takes away even more entertainment value. It all sounds cool in my head, don't get me wrong. However, I already find myself screaming profanities at the television all too often, and I can only imagine how painful it'd be knowing that my team's season relies entirely on the jackasses in front of them.

[SentraWV]

I tend to agree with you, Troy, but it's hard to argue that the most interesting races the past few years have been the ones where things got shuffled up during qualifying 'cause of rain or something. The "it's too hard to overtake" meme takes a hiatus when one of the front runners have to work their way up from the back of the grid, I've noticed.

[sts 50]

Just like WOO! I remember John Phillips (the second best auto writer in the world, behind Peter Egan) wrote in C&D years ago, only half jokingly, that in order to get an F1 super-license, the driver would have to qualify for the A main at Eldora. The caption was Alain Prost photoshopped into a winged sprinter - brilliant!

[SeanB]

They should do it, F1 has become a parade of sorts. I used to kid myself that it was all about the technology and not so much so the racing. But, after watching low tech racing I realize we need to go back to F1 of the 80s and 90s.

Bring back F1 88 or 89 when teammates dueled each other to glory. The cars were difficult to drive, none of this weenie traction control and other devices. I still religiously watch F1, just because its F1 and not because it produces great racing.

[sts 50]

Lots of tire, way less aero.