The F1 Sprint Race & Qualifying May Be Distinct Events In 2024
Many drivers have voiced their displeasure with the system’s rigidity and the scarcity of tires available for the remainder of the weekend. They have cited the Shootout Sprint Qualifying’s tire restriction as another disadvantage.
The audiences on television and online nearly triple on F1 Sprint weekends. The format has changed significantly since it was introduced in 2021
The audiences on television and online nearly triple on F1 Sprint weekends. The format has changed significantly since it was introduced in 2021, and this year’s Sprint Race has taken place on Saturdays, which many drivers, teams, and spectators dislike.
Many drivers have voiced their displeasure with the system’s rigidity and the scarcity of tires available for the remainder of the weekend. They have cited the Shootout Sprint Qualifying’s tire restriction as another disadvantage.
For instance, during the Austrian GP, the Williams-Haas and McLaren, swiftly eliminated in Friday’s qualifying, had a brand-new set for Saturday morning’s Sprint qualifying, enabling them to enter SQ3 without any issues, resulting in an unconventional grid.
To fix some of the flaws, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1, has recently forewarned of potential changes for Sprint Race in 2024. He confirmed to Motorsport.com that there will still be six Sprint races (out of the 24 events listed on the calendar):
“There will be six Sprints, and we will announce them, I think, in September, because we have a meeting of the Formula 1 Commission scheduled for the weekend of the Belgian GP.”
“There is a proposal that I would like to make, in line with the concept of the ‘Grand Slam.’ It is that drivers who take the two poles and the two race win over the weekend should be recognized with something extra, which represents well the sporting enterprise they have achieved.”
Another matter being looked into right now is the sequencing of the sessions. The Sprint might be completed on Saturday morning, followed by the Shootout on Friday afternoon, and conventional qualifying on Saturday afternoon. The Sprint might be held that afternoon, and the qualification could be postponed until Saturday morning.
To prevent unfairness, the distribution of tire sets and the closed-park policy, which begins right after Free Practice 1 on Friday morning, might change both. Except in cases of breakage or accident, the regime prohibits vehicle modifications.
The discussion of resolutions will now take place in Belgium in less than two weeks, with notification of the results following the summer vacation.
