Double headers? 1st or 2nd race 'best'?

[TheDeuce]

Two F1 races at one venue a week apart? Welcome to 2020, a world turned upside down.

But.. which will hold most promise? Will the second race be a repeat of the first with minor differences? Or will the second transform the results as teams make sense of the first attempt?

If you could only watch one race.. which? And why?

Debate

[HustleRussell]

I suspect it depends on how testing is done, how the grid is set for the second race and whether there’s any deviation in the layout.

I suspect the second race would be more eventful than the first due to driver’s mindset.

[TobyTR]

I would like the 2nd race to be run in the track's opposite direction, would be interesting...

[anonymous-user]

Race 1:
Bottas
Hamilton
LeClerc

Race 2:
Hamilton
Bottas
Max

[TheDeuce]

Bo_apex said:

Race 1:
Bottas
Hamilton
LeClerc

Race 2:
Hamilton
Bottas
Max

Probably about right!

Which is fine. Could be quite interesting to see the same race run twice and how minor factors and some good (or bad) fortune can swing the results.

[Cold]

There's talk of the second race being a reverse grid which may make the first five or ten laps slightly more interesting.

[thegreenhell]

Cold said:

There's talk of the second race being a reverse grid which may make the first five or ten laps slightly more interesting.

They need unanimous agreement from the teams, and Mercedes have said no way. There's still time for Liberty to bride them before the final vote, though.

[sandman77]

Cold said:

There's talk of the second race being a reverse grid which may make the first five or ten laps slightly more interesting.

There is not a chance in hell that will happen. Can you imagine the carnage at turn 1 with everyone tying to pass much slower cars in front.

[anonymous-user]

thegreenhell said:

They need unanimous agreement from the teams, and Mercedes have said no way. There's still time for Liberty to bride them before the final vote, though.

Are Mercedes calling the shots ?
They enjoy such a dominant position over race distance surely they could just sit back for T1 and enjoy the view.

[Cold]

It does appear to be only Mercedes who are against the idea of a reverse grid. Even Ferrari are onboard and they usually oppose everything. But as already pointed out, it will take all ten teams to agree for it to happen.
Shame that Merc seem so threatened by it.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/31/f1-w...

[SmoothCriminal]

The only reason why redbull and ferrari are on board is due to them knowing they'll be one of two teams that will win.

Reverse grids are st even in touring cars where you can overtake, imagine them in f1 pffft.

[TwentyFive]

Cold said:

Even Ferrari are onboard and they usually oppose everything.

If Ferrari had had a good winter and knew they had a race winning package then they would be opposed to it too. Ferrari voting for it just shows they know they need another variable to help make up for the performance deficit they are dealing with.

I am against it for the simple reason than if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I would be more open to having them reverse the top 8 for Race 2 like they do in F2, but not the whole field.

[TheDeuce]

I'd be pretty happy for most ideas floating around to be applied to the second race at each double header venue. Seems the ideal time to add interest and try some new ideas.

In fact, before the season went tits up Brawn was saying he wanted to try a few new ideas this year. Go for it..

[Cold]

The consensus on PH seems to be that with a reverse grid the fastest cars won't be able to overtake the slowest cars therefore there won't be a spectacle.
Surely being able to overtake is a requisite skill of a racing driver?

[HustleRussell]

I am against reverse grid and other contrivances to spice up the racing anyway but in my opinion things like this are particularly out of place in Formula 1, because in my opinion the sport is still dangerous enough that injury or death could ultimately result from this decision at some point.

[thegreenhell]

It's usually exciting when you see a fast car having to start at the back of the grid, and it would be interesting to see how such a race panned out... as an experiment. However, it's a pretty crude gimmick, and goes against the ethos of Formula One.

[wolfie1978]

thegreenhell said:

It's usually exciting when you see a fast car having to start at the back of the grid, and it would be interesting to see how such a race panned out... as an experiment. However, it's a pretty crude gimmick, and goes against the ethos of Formula One.

1 fast car at the back yes but 6, squabbling with each other while trying to get past much slower cars (i'm looking at you Williams) sounds like a recipe for a major accident

[Exige46]

Contrived and gimmicky as mentioned above. Each car/driver should have equal opportunity provided by the rules to win the race and the world championship. We all know that overtaking as an important skill for any racing driver, but while the current rules make it almost impossibly difficult to overtake with equally matched cars it is not something that should be introduced artificially. It is a world championship where superiority should be admired and rewarded. If you want races made artificially exciting in this way, watch touring cars or similar series.

[bobbo89]

SmoothCriminal said:

The only reason why redbull and ferrari are on board is due to them knowing they'll be one of two teams that will win.

Reverse grids are st even in touring cars where you can overtake, imagine them in f1 pffft.

Yep, Ferrari and Red Bull will essentially be gifted a grid position ahead of their only competition with zero effort put in to get there. I'm not surprised Merc are against it, for every reverse grid race they'll be pretty much guaranteed to be the last two cars on the grid!

[Fundoreen]

You can overtake coming from the back at silverstone and at the red bull ring , no hope doing it in hungry.
But will still affect the result , and in a short season could easily decide who wins titles.
Probably a better risk in a full 22 or so race championship under new rules in 2022, as that will mix up the order a bit anyway.