The ‘sprint shootout’ title which was introduced for sprint race qualifying sessions last year has been removed from the Formula 1 rule book.
The qualifying sessions for sprint races are now referred to as ‘sprint qualifying’. That title was previously used for sprint races when they were introduced in 2021.
Updated F1 sporting regulations containing the change were approved by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council ahead of the first practice session of the season tomorrow.
Following a shake-up of the sprint round format last year, which saw the grid for the grand prix separated from the results of the sprint race, a new three-stage qualifying session to determine the starting grid for the sprint race was created. This was originally called the ‘sprint shootout’.
However, following today’s WMSC meeting in Geneva, another change in the sprint round format will see the sprint race moved to Saturday mornings, with grand prix qualifying the final session held on Saturdays for sprint rounds as well as on traditional race weekends. The grid for the sprint race will now be decided in the final session on Fridays, which has been renamed in the 2024 Formula 1 sporting regulations as ‘sprint qualifying’.
It is the latest change to F1’s divisive sprint format heading into its fourth year of use. Every season since the 100km race format was first introduced in 2021, the FIA and Formula One Management have modified the format in some way.
The first sprint event of the season will be held at the Chinese Grand Prix in April. A total of six will be held over the year.
The new sporting regulations also formalised another new change for 2024’s sprint format. There will now be two separate parc ferme restrictions over sprint weekends, the first between the start of sprint race qualifying on Friday afternoon and the start of the sprint race on Saturday morning and the second between the start of grand prix qualifying on Saturday afternoon and the start of the grand prix on Sunday. Teams will be permitted to make changes to cars between the end of the sprint race and the start of grand prix qualifying.
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Formula 1
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