Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hopes the details for the new ‘sprint qualifying’ format can be finalised ahead of the next race at the Imola circuit. Formula 1 is expected to trial its new qualifying sprint race format at three grands prix in 2021, with one expected to be at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in July.
Under the proposed plans, a 100km sprint race would take place on a Saturday to determine the grid for Sunday’s main grand prix.
Friday would consist of one practice session followed by the usual 60-minute qualifying to determine the grid for the sprint race.
Already titled ‘sprint qualifying’ by F1 managing director Ross Brawn, the introduction of a second shorter race is hoped to increase the entertainment value for fans across the three-day weekend.
Details surrounding whether points are handed out to the top three finishers, the two other grands prix it will be trialled at and how the impact of three additional races will have on costs are expected to be top of the agenda when further discussions take place. The initial proposals have been widely supported by the teams, and Domenicali is hopeful the finer details can be confirmed by the next race at Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 18.
The former Ferrari boss told Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport: “The sprint race experiment on Saturday? We are defining the final details, the goal is to close for the Imola Grand Prix. We would like a much more intense weekend with an hour of free practice on Friday and then qualifying with the sprint race to define the starting order of the real race on Sunday. We hope to define all the details to start with the experimentation, that if successful we will see how to define the next year. I confirm that it will be at Silverstone.” – Stefano Domenicali concluded.
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