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Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes blocked the idea of reversed-grid races

Toto Wolff admits that Mercedes blocked the idea of reversed-grid races

28-10-2019 16:59 Last update: 19:40
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Tom Mason

Toto Wolff has confirmed that he blocked the idea of an F1 experiment with reversed-grids. F1 had been keen to look to trial the test in three races next season. Those being French, Belgium and Russian Grands Prix. 

There was a team meeting last weekend to establish where people stood on the idea and it found that there was a unanimous decision not in favour of the reverse-grids.

Wolff admitted Mercedes were one of the teams against it and believed it would have been a disadvantage to the sport moving forward.

"I did it because we have a responsibility in F1 to preserve the DNA," Wolff said as quoted by Autosport.

"It felt wrong, not in order to preserve an advantage because maybe it would have been good for us as Ferrari would have been behind us when you look at the current qualifying pace.

"But I voted against it because when you're looking at the 100m final in the Olympics, you're not making Usain Bolt start five metres behind just to make it an exciting finish."

Although the idea was rejected for the 2020 season that doesn't mean that it can't be used in the future if enough teams agree on the matter.