F1 sprint race for F2 drivers under study

Will the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix close the Formula 1 season? With nine rounds remaining on the F1 calendar, culminating in a finale scheduled for December 8 in Abu Dhabi, F1 could go on holiday a little later than planned this year. F1 officials are indeed discussing the possibility of modifying the post-season period which allowed drivers who had competed in fewer than two Grand Prix to come and test the cars on the Yas Marina track, one week after the official drivers.

Among the suggestions, the idea of ​​organizing a sprint race for young drivers is gaining momentum, the discipline thus showing its willingness to offer more opportunities for beginner drivers to make a name for themselves in Formula 1.

Formula 1 supporting young pilots

Access to the pinnacle of motorsport can sometimes be difficult, either for financial reasons or for sporting reasons, with a very limited grid of only 20 drivers, which leaves little opportunity for promising young talents to get a seat. In this context, the FIA has decided to react.

Since 2022 and the new regulation, she has required each team to hire a rookie during two Free Practice 1 (FP1) sessions in a season to replace its regular drivers. An initiative that had already allowed young talents like French drivers Théo Pourchaire or Isack Hadjar to gain their first official experience. Recently, the governing body of Formula 1 has decided to continue this approach by proposing a much more radical but daring idea.

A sprint race exclusively for rookies?

On the occasion of the last F1 Commission in September, representatives of the sport as well as team bosses gathered to discuss the feasibility of organizing a sprint race for rookie drivers on the end-of-season test day, scheduled for the Tuesday following the final race of the season. A plan that seems to have caught the attention of Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali, who recently expressed his enthusiasm for this project, while explaining that discussions will be held in the coming weeks to validate and incorporate it into the regulations.

« There is a project on the table, namely the possibility of organizing a sprint race for young drivers in Abu Dhabi. We are thinking about how to give young people the opportunity to shine and gain experience during the tests at Yas Marina, not only by participating in these tests but also by having a competitive context. This would definitely contribute to their training and prepare them for the next step. We will discuss this in detail by the end of September to understand the feasibility of this idea, revealed the former director of Ferrari.

This idea, although still under study, coincides with the remarks made by Eddie Jordan, former driver and journalist, founder of the Jordan team. The Briton had criticized the current format of sprint races, considering that they do not offer any spectacle, making them less prestigious among fans and drivers.

« Winning a sprint race is not winning a Grand Prix, they are not even close in my opinion. One is a fun activity to get some points and the other is a pure Grand Prix, where you have to prepare and do things differently. I think the sprint race is a failure. It’s chaotic. It should not be integrated into the Grand Prix weekend. It distracts us. It takes us away from what we are really here for: to see who wins the Grand Prix. » To address this issue, the former driver would like to change the format of sprint weekends, by reducing their number per season and making them accessible only to beginner drivers.

« I think the sprint race needs to be reconsidered. I have a solution, maybe, for beginner drivers and sprint races. So now, instead of losing it, I would suggest having four Grand Prix, which are key races on our calendar… so we’re talking about Spa, Silverstone, Monza, and then another choice, let’s say Monaco. You give them a chance to feel, to soak up the atmosphere on Saturday, and we have a sprint race at four events per year – and no driver can participate in this race if they have raced in more than 10 Grand Prix.

« This gives a chance to some of those who have been unlucky, who have been sidelined, or to some of those who are rising, and it gives them an opportunity. My proposal is that we choose four races, that we remove sprint races, and that we make four a year on circuits that have been loyal to Formula 1 for the longest time – and I think it’s a way to reward them. »

Eddie Jordan believes that official drivers, who are more experienced, should not be allowed to participate in sprint races, as the points awarded in these races do not make much difference to them. However, this would allow young drivers to gain experience and take advantage of the opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car in real conditions for several laps. Therefore, the world of Formula 1 is anticipating many discussions, and its regulations could still evolve by the end of the year.