Formula 1 Racing

Verstappen “won’t be around too long” if F1 keeps changing race weekend format · RaceFans

Verstappen "won't be around too long" if F1 keeps changing race weekend format · RaceFans

Max Verstappen says Formula 1’s experiments with changes to its race weekend format could lead him to leave the sport.

The series introduced a sprint race format two years ago which will form a larger part of this year’s world championship. Six of the 23 rounds will include sprint races, up from three last year.

F1 is considering changes to the sprint format which could come into play as early as the first sprint weekend of the season in Baku in four weeks’ time. Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner said today the sport is considering holding a dedicated qualifying session for the sprint race.

This comes as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali reiterated his desire to reduce the amount of practice which takes place at grand prix weekends and increase the number of competitive sessions. However Verstappen made it clear he prefers the traditional grand prix weekend format.

“I’m happy with just the main race,” he told Portuguese television channel Sport TV. “I think that’s way better for the excitement.”

“I naturally, of course, hope that there won’t be too many changes otherwise I won’t be around for too long,” Verstappen added.

The two-times world champion has long been a critic of the sprint race format. “I’m not a fan of the sprint,” he said last year. “It is what it is. Some like it, some don’t.”

Verstappen signed a contract extension with Red Bull ahead of last season which runs to the 2028 season.

While F1 is known to be evaluating changes to its sprint format, no final decision has yet been taken. Verstappen’s team principal Christian Horner said today F1 needs to “tidy up the format for the sprint races coming up” to make them “a bit more dynamic.”

“I know that the sporting director has been working hard on that and hopefully we can get that finalised.”

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