F1 Academy Brings Back Reverse Grids For 2025 To Spark Overtaking Chaos

F1 Academy’s shaking up 2025 with the return of reverse grid races, a move set to flip the script on its growing pack of young female drivers. Announced Tuesday, the updated Sporting Regulations keep the weekend’s bones—up to two Free Practices, one Qualifying, two Races—but twist Race 1 into a reverse grid showdown. With the grid expanding to 18 cars this season, the series is betting on tighter battles and bolder moves to spotlight its rising talent.

For Race 1, the top eight from Qualifying get flipped—P1 starts P8, P8 grabs P1, and everyone else lines up as they ran. Points drop from 10 for first down to 1 for eighth, with an extra point for the fastest lap among those top eight finishers. Race 2 holds steady from 2024: grid set by Qualifying’s quickest laps, points cascading from 25 for the winner to 1 for tenth, plus one for the fastest lap in the top ten and two for pole. It’s a format tweak aimed at mixing chaos with opportunity.

Competition Manager Delphine Biscaye sees it as a proving ground. “The return of the reverse grid in 2025 promises exciting racing with even more overtakes,” she said. “The change will also challenge and develop our drivers’ race craft and prepare them to progress up the motorsport ladder, where reverse grids are a mainstay in the weekend format. Reverse grids are a fantastic chance for drivers who often qualify P5 – P8 to demonstrate their ability to race at the front, and a podium or race win can be just what it takes to unlock their full confidence and potential.” She’s banking on the shuffle to sharpen skills and turn heads—drivers stuck mid-pack now get a shot to shine.

The points breakdown spells it out. In Race 1, first nets 10 points, second 8, third 6, fourth 5, fifth 4, sixth 3, seventh 2, eighth 1—plus that bonus for the quickest top-eight lap. Race 2 runs deeper: first scores 25, second 18, third 15, fourth 12, fifth 10, sixth 8, seventh 6, eighth 4, ninth 2, tenth 1, with extras for pole (2) and fastest top-ten lap (1). It’s a system that rewards both raw speed and cunning—perfect for a grid swelling with ambition.

Last year’s 15-car field ran straight grids—2025’s 18-strong lineup demands a rethink. Reverse grids, a staple in feeder series like F2, throw drivers into the deep end: fight forward or fend off the pack. For F1 Academy, it’s a nod to growth—more cars, more talent, more scrap. Testing kicks off soon—expect the first flipped grid to hit hard.