The Sprint Qualifications seal the deal
For the first time in F1 history, the pole position was decided at the end of a Sprint Qualifying, won by Max Verstappen. The entire grid seems satisfied with this experiment, which will be repeated two more times this year.
It was the big question that has been stirring up the paddock and commentators since the beginning of the season. Is it a good idea to change the historic format of F1? Or was it to be classified as a false good idea, or even completely bad?
It is important to note that the first race was rather to be classified on the positive side since the 17 laps of Silverstone gave us an intense show, especially thanks to the strategy adopted by the two Alpine drivers and Kimi Räikkönen to choose soft tires while the rest of the grid opted for the cautious option of mediums.
This resulted in an impressive comeback for the drivers involved as Fernando Alonso and the Alfa Romeo driver gained four places each, Esteban Ocon three. Add to this the collision that sent Carlos Sainz to the back of the pack and Sergio Perez’s off-track excursion and you get a grid for tomorrow where only four drivers have the same position as at the end of yesterday’s qualifying.
Among these four drivers, we find Charles Leclerc, who will have spent the entire race in his initial fourth position. Yet he is one of the most enthusiastic about the format: « I am more tired today after doing 17 laps flat out than at the end of a full race managing its tires. On Fridays, I tend to get bored in the car. This adds spice to every day. »
On the contrary, his childhood friend Pierre Gasly is also among those who have neither won nor lost anything, remaining stuck in twelfth place. For the Frenchman, the frustration of being stuck with poor settings after the first free practice session prevails: “We missed something but now we have to live with what we have.”
One can note that Lewis Hamilton, author of the fastest time yesterday, did not hide a certain disappointment in not starting at the front tomorrow: « Yesterday was a fun day. Today, I don’t know if it’s the most interesting part for the fans but the future will tell us. » Without a doubt, if the outcome of this sprint had allowed him to earn one more point than his rival Max Verstappen, he would have found the perfect format…
Fernando Alonso even has more extreme ideas to spice up the format:
Having only one lap would allow for even more drama!
Obviously, the fact that the Spaniard was in fifth place at the end of the first round, before having to bow down to the two McLarens, has nothing to do with his proposal!
On the other hand, satisfaction will not be found on Sergio Perez’s side as the Mexican lost everything when he lost control of his Red Bull at the exit of Becketts, damaging his car and causing him to lose the benefit of his sixth time from yesterday.
Let’s wait to see the next two experiments before making a final judgment, but let’s say that the first attempt does not encourage us to forget about the initiative.
