SRAM AXS Force sequential shifting mode...strange gear combinations?

I believe that sequential mode in both Di2 and Etap is setup to minimise FD shifting. With Etap, if you don't like where the transition point is, you should be able to go into the app and change the FD shifting point. Alternatively, just manually override it and make a FD shift when you feel it's necessary.

* I haven't used electronic shifting so choose to ignore

I seem to remember reading in an article on here some time bak that the manufacturers (SRAM and Shimano maybe not Campag) had no issues with cross chaining as they believed all the ratios were there to be used so will have programmed the systems that way. If you have enabled a sequential shifting option then the example you have used above is correct 46/17 46/28 & 33/24 are on a downward trend (stick them in a calculator. If you want to be in control of when it uses which chain ring I suspect yo will need to disengage the sequential mode.

It might be worth sticking the numbers into a spreadsheet to see just where it all overlaps and then work out how yo want it to operate , perhaps you can then create a custom version of the sequential shift (* I have no idea if this is available or not)

I dont have that system but pressing both shifters at the smae tome will change the front chain ring