The race weekend format appeared for the first time in 2021 with a qualifying on Friday and a sprint on Saturday as an experiment in three stages. Experiments continued last season, the format was recognized as successful in Formula 1 and six stages will already be held in 2023 according to this schedule.
Formula 1 technical director Pat Symonds applauds the innovation, as he believes the sprint has increased the intensity of on-track competition.
Pat Symonds: “Some people like this format, others don’t, but for me the most important thing is that the battle on the track has become more acute. I like the unpredictability of the battle, and in the usual Friday track format there is no rivalry. So what’s the point of this weekend day? Everyone watches Formula 1 before the fight.
In addition, with training sessions only on Friday, the teams have two hours to fine-tune the car settings and prepare properly. As a result, it all leads to predictable results.
The sprint format guarantees battle every day, because on Friday we have the qualifications, on Saturday the sprint and on Sunday the Grand Prix. By reducing the amount of time teams have at their disposal to work on the car, we have included an “error generator” in the sprint, which increases the chance of an unpredictable race on Sunday. That’s the kind of race that people like.”
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
