Formula 1 sprint races will be much more exciting with this new format

To spread the excitement among Formula 1 fans over the weekend, sprint races were introduced in the premier class of motorsport. However, the format this year looks completely different than before and that promises many exciting Saturdays.

Previously, a sprint race weekend had free practice on Friday, followed by qualifying for the sprint race grid on Saturday afternoon. In between, there was always a somewhat aimless second free practice session on Saturday morning. The outcome of the sprint race determined the starting grid for Sunday.

Sprint races have been pretty boring so far

In 2021, the short race earned the podium finishers three, two and one point. However, the drivers were not willing to take a high risk for these “few points”. In 2022, the format was refined and the top eight were rewarded with points after a sprint race. The format of the six sprint races this year has now been revised once again.

In recent years, the sprint races have not always been exciting. Drivers often drove a little defensively to avoid being involved in a crash. Repairing a Formula 1 car not only costs a lot of money, it will also cost you dearly on Sunday – when many more points are awarded.

Because the field is close together in the short sprint race, you quickly lose a lot of places if you have a mishap on the track, so that you race day must start from a spot at the end of the field. A risk that most motorists prefer to avoid.

This is how the new format of Formula 1 sprint races works

The new format of Formula 1 sprint races is changing that. From now on there will only be one free practice session on a sprint race weekend. Qualifying for the race on Sunday then takes place on Friday afternoon.

On Saturday, a shoot-out Location. Think of this as qualifying for the sprint race that starts later that day. The sprint race, in which the DRS system will also be introduced this year, will therefore be an event in its own right.

The format of this shoot-out is the same as qualifying for Sunday’s race, the drivers now have less time in Q1, Q2 and Q3. The 100km sprint race is therefore only about points – the same number as last season – and no longer affects the starting grid of Sunday’s race.