Formula 1 is considering a change to the format of the first sprint race weekend of the year in Baku.
The series’ CEO Stefano Domenicali said earlier this week he wants more competitive sessions to take place during weekends. The sprint race format which was introduced at limited rounds in 2021 was one step towards achieving this.
Under its current sprint weekend structure, F1 holds a qualifying session on Friday which sets the starting order for Saturday’s short race, which in turn decides the grid for the grand prix. However F1 is considering a revised format under which a second qualifying session would be held to decide the starting order for the sprint race.
“In Baku we are talking about having a second qualifying in the moment,” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner explained. “We don’t know how we do it and if we do it.”
One criticism of the sprint race format has been that it makes the second practice session on Saturday largely meaningless. Steiner indicated the extra qualifying session will replace that hour of running in Baku.
Some drivers said yesterday they would be happy to have just one practice session per weekend. However Steiner acknowledged F1 will have to ensure that allows enough running for teams to iron out any problems with their cars.
“Instead of FP2 on a sprint event on Saturday morning, we do our qualifying. Then we are in a situation to evaluate would one FP1 be enough to get out what we want and go from there?”
The sport can then “decide what is next in making the free practice session more interesting for the spectators, because that is what we need.”
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“I think we need to take it step by step, get over this hurdle of how we can do a second qualifying on the weekend in the sprint events and then maybe go the next step.”
The proposal was discussed in a recent meeting of the Formula 1 Commission. “Stefano had a little bit more his vision out there for the future because that is what he has to do for FOM, have a vision where are we going,” said Steiner.
“So I think let’s take it step-by-step, sort that one out and see how much practice we need to make the car safe, to get enough data that you can set them up and to give Pirelli enough data they have got something decent to work with.”
However Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer pointed out that cutting the number of practice sessions will make life more difficult for drivers who are new to F1.
“We…
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