At the venerable age of 70, Formula 1 is trying to reinvent itself: it adopted on Monday “unanimously” a 100 km “qualifying sprint race” format on Saturday during 3 Grands Prix this season.
"I am delighted that all the teams have supported this plan, and it is a testament to our joint efforts to offer something new to our fans while ensuring that we respect the heritage and the meritocracy of our sport", explains the CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, in a press release.
“F1 is proving stronger than ever with all stakeholders working together, and a lot has been done to ensure that the sporting, technical and financial aspects of this format are fair,” adds Jean Todt, Federation President. International Automobile Industry (FIA).
Concretely, “on Friday (afternoon), there will be a qualifying session after the first free practice session (one hour in the morning) which will determine the starting grid for the sprint qualifying on Saturday (afternoon). noon) ”, it is specified.
After a second one-hour free practice session in the morning, "the results of the sprint qualifying on Saturday will determine the starting grid for the race on Sunday", with a normal distance of around 300 km.
“The first three of the sprint qualifying on Saturday will receive points” in the world championship standings: three for the first, two for the second and one for the third. Moreover, from qualifying on Friday, the teams will not be no longer able to freely modify their cars.
No details were given, however, on the financial measures surrounding the adoption of this project.
Indeed, some feared that these three races would generate problematic additional costs within the framework of the expenditure ceiling imposed on the teams from this year.
See you at Silverstone, Monza and Interlagos?
The GPs that will take place in this new format have not yet been announced, with F1 and FIA content to point out that it will be “two in Europe and one outside Europe”. Great Britain at Silverstone on July 18 and Italy at Monza on September 12 hold the rope, as well as Brazil at Interlagos on November 7, if the health situation allows this race to be held. This agreement must now be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, whose next meeting is scheduled for July 9, which should be a formality.
Since its takeover by the Americans of Liberty Media in 2017, F1 has been discussing new formats supposed to make the Grands Prix less monotonous. The inversion of the starting grids established in qualifying (which place the fastest on a lap at the forefront and so on) was rejected because it was considered too artificial and unfair, in favor of these hoped-for more spectacular sprint qualifying.
“It's really suspense over three days, said before the season the executive director of Alpine Marcin Budkowski.
You will do qualifying on Friday, run on Saturday and run again on Sunday.
For the fans, these are three days full of emotions. "
Some purists, like the four-time German world champion Sebastian Vettel, however, fear that this kind of novelty distorts the sport. "Why would you have a pre-final before a final?
What is the point of this?
I don't understand, ”wondered the Aston Martin pilot a few weeks ago.
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