Marko slams ‘absurd’ qualifying race proposal

It's dark in the F1 rule makers meeting room

(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has slammed Liberty Media's plans to experiment with short qualifying sprint races in 2020.

It is now clear that at two or three grands prix next year, the order of the grid for Sunday's main race will be determined on the basis of a short sprint race held on Saturday.

The grid for that race will be in reverse order of the world championship.

"These plans are absurd," Red Bull's Marko told Servus TV.

"If you did that on circuits like Monaco, Singapore or Barcelona it would be pointless, because overtaking is difficult or even impossible," he said.

"You wouldn't have to watch because nothing would change anyway."

Marko also said he is opposed to such ideas on principle.

"Our sport is supposed to be like football or tennis, where the basic conditions have not changed fundamentally over the past 30, 40, 50 years.

"The spectators must understand the rules of a grand prix," Marko insisted. "And in the end, the best man should win. There should be no artificial interventions."

Marko said Liberty Media should instead try to make Formula 1 more exciting through smart technical regulations.

"What we should do is come up with regulations to equalize opportunities. Above all, the importance of aerodynamics must be reduced," he said.

"Today, certain races are boring because of how difficult it is to overtake."