In the beginning, there were three, then they doubled. These were the days when the Sprint Race awarded the pole position, but Liberty Media put a patch on it, reaffirming the nobility of the push lap exercise, one of the most adrenaline-pumping moments of every F1 race weekend. Over time, the scoring system has also changed, becoming more rewarding. The fast race: a format as young as it is tormented, given the alterations required to optimize it.
Is it over? Not by a long shot! Another restructuring of a young, weak, yet elaborately finished building is on the horizon. This structure is fragile at its core but appears solid on the surface. In other words, it’s an architectural marvel that risks being blown away by a slightly stronger gust of wind than a light afternoon breeze.
The fact that the mechanism, which concluded with the Brazilian Grand Prix regarding the 2023 championship, is not popular among the participants is well-known. Max Verstappen, the most prominent driver of this era, has expressed his clear disapproval of the sprint race weekend, which the top brass of the sport has turned into an even more adrenaline-packed event that nearly eliminates free practice sessions. This trend is not favored by the reigning world champion.
F1 – Sprint Race: An Unblossomed Love
“Every time I participate, the goal is always not to suffer damage and ensure staying in the top three. The only exciting aspect is having an extra start. But, in the end, only those who are behind can climb up because, using a single set of tires that lasts an entire stint, not much happens,” said the Hasselt driver, who added more verbal hits: “We have had many exciting races, so there is no need to add an event that lasts one-third of the distance. And then everyone is very cautious because if you are fighting for third place and have a problem, finishing last means your weekend will be difficult. You probably won’t take any risks, so it’s not a real race.”
This rejection was further emphasized after the “little race” in São Paulo, “I would like a normal race weekend, please. I don’t care about any changes; I don’t like the sprint,” said Max Verstappen. Many colleagues share the same sentiment without being as harsh.
After the weekend of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, criticism of the Parc Fermé system flared up. The accusation, honestly well-founded, is that the system is not compatible with the fast race format because it restricts the setup definition to only the Friday morning session. Going back to the Texan events, two cars, Ferrari #16 and Mercedes #44, were found to be non-compliant with Article 3.5.9 paragraph E of the technical regulations.
The disqualification for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton was thus automatic and unappealable. Both teams involved sent a representative to speak with the commissioners, trying to explain that the high wear of the anti-slip pads was likely the result of a combination of a rough track and the sprint race program that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
Understandable justifications but ones that cannot generate exceptions not provided for by the rules. The commissioners, having certified that the competitor is responsible for ensuring that the car always complies with the regulations, could do nothing else but exclude the two cars from the race results.
In other circumstances, no complaints would have been raised, but the fact that Austin coincided with a sprint weekend has effectively triggered reactions from both penalized and non-penalized parties. What has emerged is a cross-cutting movement that loudly calls for changes in the Sprint Race system to prevent some teams from experiencing situations similar to those in Texas.
All this has resulted from the lack of time to define correct setups. Lewis Hamilton, launching a few verbal salvos, argued that in the end, it wasn’t just his car and Leclerc’s that were out of regulation. Max Verstappen, who was not involved in the incidents, explicitly defended the penalized teams, emphasizing the lack of the opportunity to review setups and correct the erroneous ones.
Charles Leclerc, an important figure, pointed out that his SF-23, after checks following FP1, presented a perfectly compliant setup. If it had been possible to perform another check at the end of the third practice session, the problem would probably have come to light, and corrective action could have been taken.
Toto Wolff, another prominent figure in Formula 1 who wouldn’t lose sleep if Liberty Media decided to ban sprint races, admitted that there is yet another structural change to meet the needs of teams and drivers. The Sprint is seen as a necessary evil that must be as painless as possible.
The Austrian executive, speaking to Mara Sangiorgio of Sky Sport F1, explained that team principals are inclined to move the qualifying shootout to Friday: “Yes, that’s true,” said the head of Mercedes, “There are discussions ongoing, but the final decision lies with Stefano Domenicali. I’m not enthusiastic about these weekends in general, but if it’s good for the fans, then we’ll do it.”
Liberty Media will not step back, as what they have introduced is no longer enough. Something even more spectacular and, well, lucrative is needed. The result is being pursued with extreme urgency. And, of course, not just to satisfy the need for a double Parc Fermé (one for the sprint and one for the race) but mainly to make the mechanism even more captivating and therefore more marketable. The Sprint Race paradigm is struggling to find peace, as can be seen from the endless adjustments that have been made.
The only current certainty is that the American owners of F1 will do everything in their power to solidify its structure and make it the reference mechanism. Liberty Media is pursuing revenue, and they know that with an event like this, advertising spaces sell better. As do TV rights, given the fact that the average share seems to increase on weekends with this type of event, which is a hit among younger generations. For drivers, Toto Wolff, and nostalgic fans, there is no choice but to accept it because the path is laid out. There is no turning back.
Source: Diego Catalano for FUnoanalisitecnica
Leave a Reply