The 2023 season includes 6 F1 sprint race weekends. While the format is slightly different from previous years, with a qualification session dedicated to the sprint race on Saturday, the goal remains the same: to optimize the show over the three days of the Formula 1 weekend and thus sell more tickets.
More shows = More profitability
Historically, Formula 1 Grand Prix always take place over three days. Practice from Friday until Saturday afternoon, then qualifying on Saturday before having a race on Sunday.
The format of the qualifications has been greatly modified. Pilot by driver rounds, rounds by reduced group or even eliminating some drivers gradually. The format of qualifications has never been intended to deliver a show since it “only” determines the position of the drivers at the start of the Grand Prix.
Logically therefore, the stands are filled on race Sundays and could be less well filled on other weekend days. At a time when F1 generates more than 2.5 billion dollars in revenue (2022, or 2.4 billion euros) and investors are asking for profitability, the objective is therefore to find ways to sell tickets during the three days.
Grand Prix Sprint weekends satisfy the accountants of Formula 1 since the weekends are filled for all three days. Nevertheless, the promise is not kept. Spectators are disappointed to pay more for not seeing much more of a show.
Alternatives to find
During European weekends, the young pilots’ series, Formula 2, Formula 3 and sometimes the F1 Academy come to energize the weekend and bring even more spectacle on Fridays and Saturdays in particular.
Outside of Europe, it is nevertheless quite empty. Sometimes a few series are added to Formula 1, but most of the time, there is nothing else to keep the spectators waiting. They can therefore only rely on F1 to justify the ticket price and that’s where the show must take place.
Yet, on the latest sprint races, the interest has not been major. Neither in the race, nor to boost sales.
« And well that didn’t help » the marketing director of the Austin circuit confirmed to Autosport.
« Why does Sunday remain so strong if it’s the Max factor influencing attendance? I would say: ‘Well, I passed this test [in terms of high sales on Sunday] and now I’m saying the second part, it’s that Saturday this year was a bit less good than Saturday last year, and yet we have a sprint race this year. So, that’s the only thing that’s changed. » Bobby Epstein explained.
Although there is little doubt about Max Verstappen’s dominance this season, the sprint race offers nothing more than a Grand Prix, just as poor in battle. The artificialization of overtaking with DRS systems or the games of strategies and tires that are too different in terms of longevity and performances spoil the party.
Is it really necessary to earn points on Saturday?
F1 has set up a stake so that the Saturday race is as important for the teams and drivers as the Sunday one. Thus, medals are awarded and points distributed to the top 8 (The top three when the system was set up).
However, points are not the reason that prompts drivers to take risks. Indeed, losing their single-seater in a clash or an accident on Saturday and risking changing their gearbox or engine is much more present in their minds.
Having points is therefore not necessary and it is also one of the tracks studied.
F1 is therefore considering completely different scenarios. Motors Inside offers some among those mentioned on social networks or by our office colleagues.
Force the hard / medium tyres in sprint races
During sprint races, most drivers have identical tires since they do not need to change the tires. However, they sometimes tend to favor the softest tires, even though they easily reach a performance limit at the end of the sprint race. Therefore, to avoid too much degradation, the drivers manage their degradation by not fully attacking. As a result, the drivers are on the reserve and no overtaking takes place.
By using the hardest tires, or medium tires and forcing this choice for all single-seaters, all drivers would only have their performance to make the difference, without risking excessive tire degradation over the race distance.
Reverse grid in sprint race
Many categories of auto sports that have several races in the same weekend use this scenario. It is about taking the qualifying result and reversing the grid during the first race. The last one will start first and the first one will start last. In the end, over an entire season, only the best will be able to stand out.
In F2, the reverse grid does indeed exist for the sprint race. However, only the top 10 see their positions reversed. Thus the 10th starts in pole, the 9th in 2nd place etc. This therefore allows the fastest to prove they are faster by gaining positions during the sprint race and doing a little more battling.
Yet, in our case, the situation would seem quite identical. The best cars and the best drivers would easily manage to come from 10th place, to victory. This indeed happened several times this season and it was still the case. Max Verstappen, 6th on the starting grid, did win the Grand Prix in Austin.
This scenario has already been mentioned in F1 and is not unanimous, particularly for the fact of artificially creating a show.
Driving different cars
The goal is to bring spectacle. So some suggest keeping the same drivers, but having them drive in other single-seaters. We are often suggested historical single-seaters. This would allow to bring spectacle as is the case notably during the Historical Festival of Goodwood in England which is very successful.
Having a parallel championship for sprint races
During the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen won the title in the sprint race. To avoid this scenario, only the points scored in the Grand Prix would count towards the F1 World Championship. Sprint races would be counted separately, with a dedicated sponsor who could potentially offer a first prize at the end of the season of 1 million dollars for example. This scenario is brought up by the governing bodies in particular.
Remove DRS during sprint races
The DRS, this dynamic wing that reduces downforce and therefore increases straight line speed can only be activated if you are less than a second behind the driver you want to overtake. DRS trains then form with, none of the drivers able to overtake, all protected in a straight line by the driver in front. To avoid this, a ban on DRS in sprint races would be a good way to see if the new regulations and the reduction of drag have borne fruit in F1. Pure overtakes, to the game of trajectories and braking. No gimmick.
Slow down the too fast drivers
Qualifications determine positions but don’t really take the gaps into account. Thus, signing the pole with a 0.002-second gap is not the same thing as signing the pole with a 0.4-second lead over the follower. A solution in sprint racing would therefore be to reduce the gap by weighting down the too fast drivers. By balancing the performance in this way, sprint racing would allow us to see how drivers with handicaps cope and therefore prove their ability to still maintain their position.
Karting circuits notably use these processes during amateur races and finally, isn’t that where you have the most fun?
