Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has claimed he is open to changes being made to the Formula 1 sprint weekend format, in a bid to ensure the sport is constantly evolving.
Changes to the format will see a sprint weekend consist of a qualifying session on Friday in order to set the grid for Sunday’s race, while drivers would take part in a second qualifying on Saturday ahead of a sprint later in the day.
The 2023 season will see its first sprint weekend take place at the end of April at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, where there is hope the new format will be approved in time for then.
Hamilton, who has struggled again this season but earned an impressive P2 finish in Australia, was welcoming of potential change, via Speedcafe.com: “I do think we constantly need to be evolving and assessing what we’re doing.
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“I think the changes with the sprint races have been positive in some places. I’m open to changes, to continue to make it more inclusive and more engaging for the fans.”
Hamilton maintained that he liked the current configuration of Friday on a sprint weekend at the moment, but added he would ‘love’ an extra qualifying session and insisted there is always room to try and innovate.
“Perhaps we can just apply just slightly small changes to different races, specific to those places.
“But if there’s a race where you can’t overtake like Monaco, what else can we do there to make it more exciting?”
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Mercedes have endured a slow start to 2023 and have failed in their attempts to make a unique car philosophy work thus far, but do sit above Ferrari in the Constructor Standings in third, some nine points behind Aston Martin, who use a Mercedes engine.
While Australia proved to be a successful weekend for Hamilton, it was a frustrating one for his teammate George Russell who had to watch on from the paddock as he retired early on in a chaotic race at Albert Park.
Russell is now behind Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship standings, following the disappointment in Melbourne.