Hamilton U-turns on radical Sprint plan

Lewis Hamilton is open to reverse grids being used in Formula 1 Sprint races - despite previously voicing his rejection of the idea.

Tweaks are expected to be made to the Sprint weekend format for next season after the first year of the current format including a separate qualifying session known as the Sprint Shootout.

But a poor Sprint event in the United States led to calls for more excitement to be injected into the format, with a long suggested idea being that of reversed grids for the shorter races.

When reversed grids were a possibility for Grands Prix in 2019, Hamilton scoffed at the idea, but owing to his success in the 2021 Sao Paulo Sprint where he started from last before making it up to fifth in the shorter race, the seven-time champion is open to trying the format - which is used in Formula 2 and Formula 3.

Hamilton open to Sprint idea

"Saturday's not the greatest of days, but I like the single practice session straight into qualifying," Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

"I think we can learn. I love that we do have a different format, rather than just the same three practice sessions and then the qualifying and the race.

"But the best Sprint race I ever had was when I started last (in Brazil 2021) and so I'm in favour of the reverse order, except if we had that then everyone will just try and qualify last!

"Maybe the Sprint race should also be a little bit longer because it is 19 laps or something (24 for this weekend's Sao Paulo event)."