Formula 1 has wasted no opportunity to declare the sprint qualifying format it introduced last year an overwhelming success with immense popularity among fans of the sport.
Following its debut at Silverstone, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali declared the sprint format had received “overwhelmingly positive feedback from the teams, drivers and fans”.
But after two more of its sprint events F1 was prepared to admit its innovation has a few shortcomings and pledged to make changes to it for the upcoming season. But with the start of the new championship just six weeks away the exact details haven’t yet been confirmed.
Nonetheless F1 pledged last year double the number of sprint events on its 2022 calendar, taking the tally up to six. Now that too is in doubt.
The merit of sprint events is not the issue at stake: Inevitably, this is a row over money. Three teams are pressing for a break in F1’s budget cap, which falls to $140 million (£103m) plus exceptions this year, to cover the…