A new sprint format is being studied to better manage the Parc Fermé

The sprint format is not unanimous, whether among fans or race participants. This new formula has sparked lively discussions. Originally, the FIA introduced this format to generate new interest among spectators by offering more entertainment. Sprints take place on Saturdays as standalone races, with qualifying sessions. However, teams are under a tight time constraint. Practice sessions and qualifying take place on Fridays. Furthermore, the Parc Fermé rule is in effect, meaning no team can make adjustments after Friday evening.

The drivers also complain about this race, like Max Verstappen, who considers it less important than the Sunday one. Motors Inside has already gathered several ideas to improve F1 race weekends and F1 will work on this issue.

A complicated rhythm for the teams

The teams, whose engineers criticize this format, are forced to work at a frantic pace and cannot make significant modifications to the cars. We obviously had a meeting of the sporting advisory committee this week and there were discussions on how to improve how we approach the sprint event, declared Tom McCullough, performance director of Aston Martin. The sprint was organized for a reason, the fans. From a technical point of view, it’s a puzzle. The car enters Parc Fermé after a practice session and it’s difficult. But from a commercial and fan perspective, I think there are elements that are exciting. It has already been fine-tuned and I think it needs to be fine-tuned a little more (…). Our job is to implement a simpler, better, and more understandable format while maintaining the excitement of two races.

Faced with these criticisms, the FIA is considering restructuring the weekends of this format. The sprint race would take place on Saturday morning, followed by qualifications for the Sunday race in the afternoon. This would eliminate the problem of the Parc Fermé. « “We have discussed with Stefano Domenicali, the President of F1,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to Sky Sports F1. « Obviously, it’s his decision, but then you can make the correlation easier. You do the sprint qualifying on Friday, and then the second qualification for the race, which would take place on Saturday at 2 pm, as we have always done. And that might create less confusion. »

Timetable problem

The sprint format automatically extends the race calendar. In case of session changes, it would also be necessary to thoroughly review the schedules. If you move the sprint race to Saturday morning, you must ensure to leave enough gap for the teams to react to any issues during the qualifications, said Ferrari’s Sporting Director, Diego Ioverno. There are also other options on the table. There is no definitive proposal yet, but our goal will be that once the FIA and F1 have decided on the format, the teams will have to work together to make it good for the spectators and good for us, as it is quite delicate.