Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was proud to confirm that six sprint races will take place in 2023, something which has resulted in a wide range of opinions from across the F1 community.
Sprint races were initially trialled in 2021 at the British, Italian and Brazilian Grand Prix, before they were confirmed once again for this season at Emilia Romagna, Austria and again at Brazil.
Sprint race weekends see FP1 take place in the usual slot, with FP2 replaced by a qualifying session to determine the grid for Saturday’s (100km) sprint race.
Saturday sees FP2 take place instead of FP3, with the usual slot for qualifying being when the sprint takes place, with Sunday’s remaining as per usual but with the result of the sprint determining the grid.
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Formula 1’s hierarchy are continuing to make the sport more entertaining, with the bosses seemingly believing this can only be done through more races.
With six having been announced for next year, it means that there will technically be 30 races in what is already the biggest calendar in the history of the sport.
With the likes of MotoGP having introduced sprint races at every single race for next season, one would have to imagine that this is the direction F1 are heading towards.
Apart from the sprint race at Brazil last year, where Sir Lewis Hamilton rose from P20 to fifth, all of the instalments have been a disappointment.
Domenicali is wanting to see the drivers “fighting for something” across the entire weekend, with the former Ferrari boss believing sprint races “provide” this.
“The sprint provides action across three days with the drivers all fighting for something right from the start on Friday through to the main event on Sunday,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
Recent rumours have suggested that the sport is looking towards making further changes in order to make for a better spectacle.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, F1 bosses are looking into the possibility of revolutionising DRS.
The system is currently only permitted for use when within one-second of the driver in front, in specific areas around the circuit.
The detection zones typically occur on circuits main straights, with it being legal to use from the third lap onwards.
The sport is looking into scrapping this rule and instead introducing it from the moment the race begins, as well as this, it’s being investigated if drivers could be given a specific amount of DRS they can use during a lap, similar to how ERS is used and previously KERS.
If this wasn’t enough, the sport is considering introducing a separate qualifying session to determine the grid for the sprints, meaning only FP1 would likely remain.
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It’s highly unlikely for the changes to happen next season, with 2024 appearing to be the target.
“A last-minute change for 2023 requires 28 out of 30 votes,” reported Auto Motor und Sport editor Michael Schmidt.
“The chance of that happening is rather small, which is why the current target is for 2024.”