The FIA has approved the new F1 Sprint, which will include six races this season and has the full support of all the teams. Another novel aspect of the new race format is the simpler qualifying for the shorter Saturday sprint race.

In a nutshell, a more petite grand prix has been added to the larger one. As a result, the traditional long race on Sunday will feature qualifying on Friday instead of the standard one hour.

New Look F1

The distinction is that there will be a sprint race on Saturday with a third of the laps. And a third of the points, a third of the competitors, and a mini-qualifying dubbed the Sprint Shootout will be selected, in which the first eight will get points.

The drivers will be allowed to take their risks and “drive harder” without worrying that their position on Sunday will alter, as it did last year, as the FIA acknowledges. It is essential to keep in mind that whatever occurs will not have an impact on Sunday.

It will now be a hectic, high-speed knockout event, with the top ten drivers competing for the top ten spots in the last eight minutes after a 12-minute SQ1 for the 20 drivers and a 10-minute SQ2 for the 15 who survive.

Baku will host the inaugural, new-look Sprint

Thus, the Free 1 will occur on Friday of the Baku weekend and the remaining five sprint races in 2023, followed by the customary one-hour qualifying (where Sunday’s pole position is determined).

The Sprint Shootout and the actual Sprint race will occur on Saturday, while the regular long race will occur on Sunday.

Thus, the FIA will finally be able to eliminate two of the three free practice sessions, and new features will also be added.

• Race grid penalties from Friday’s qualifying and the first practice will be used.

• Sprint shootouts are subject to grid penalties.

• Parc ferme violations require a pit lane start for both the Sprint and the race.

• Only races are subject to PU penalties.

Sprint grid penalties affect the competition.

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