Creating an Instagram F1 starting-grid carousel

The Starting Grid tool exports two PNGs on purpose: page one for the sharp end of the grid, page two for the rest. Instagram is where that design choice pays off.

Export from F1 Tools

1. Open /grid and set the race name / location.
2. Reorder drivers to match qualifying (or the race start order).
3. Hit export — you get two files at 1440 × 1880 each.

I keep the filenames in order (…-page-1, …-page-2 or whatever your browser names them) so the upload sequence is obvious.

Posting as a carousel

In Instagram (mobile or desktop creator tools):

1. Create a new post and select both images.
2. Confirm page 1 is first in the strip (P1–P11).
3. Leave the aspect alone — do not force a square crop.
4. Write the caption once; the swipe carries the rest of the field.

Because both canvases share the same pixel size, Instagram does not jump between ratios mid-swipe. That was the whole point of standardising on 1440 × 1880.

Test results from a few weekends

Check	Observation
Feed preview	Type stayed legible on an iPhone 13-class screen
Carousel swipe	Header alignment felt continuous between pages
Compression	Instagram softens fine lines; bold names held up better than thin tracking
Alt crop to Stories	A 1440×1880 feed post is not a full 9:16 Story — expect letterboxing if you reshare

Caption pattern that worked for me

Something short and structured:

Austrian GP starting grid
P1–P11 → swipe for P12–P22
Graphics: f1tools.app/grid

It tells people there is a second page. Without that, a surprising number of viewers never swipe.

Common mistakes

• Uploading only page 1 and wondering where P12 went
• Reordering images in the Instagram picker so P12 appears first
• Screenshots of the on-site preview instead of the export (preview is scaled down; export is the full canvas)

More on how the 22 slots are arranged: How the starting-grid generator lays out 22 drivers.