F1 Sprint Race: summit that aims to change technical model of format

Qatar, the eighteenth appointment of the F1 season, once again features the Sprint Race format. A format that, in many ways, works, at least for the audience. Yes, because eliminating two free practice sessions, replaced by official sessions, automatically attracts more public interest. However, this context is not viewed favorably by the teams, given the challenging work to be done during the weekend. There are only 60 minutes available to set up the car adequately before the Parc Fermé kicks in.

As you can easily imagine, it’s crucial to have a clear plan in terms of car setup and behavior before trying to prepare for qualifying and the two races, the 100km race on Saturday and the traditional Sunday race. In this scenario, an additional problem arises when the schedules change, as in Losail: there may be a potential discrepancy in terms of conditions between practice and official sessions. This factor proves to be a disabling condition for both dry lap testing and high-fuel runs.

In addition to the introductory overview, we can’t help but consider the preparation for these challenging away races. The limited time available requires a crucial feature: preparing to perform the “homework” to the best of one’s ability. This aspect is even more critical than usual. The fundamental prerequisite for finding the right balance is achieved through a significant data correlation between the simulator and the track. The “spiders” used by the teams will play a crucial role in validating the proposed setups.

This is where the third driver takes on significant responsibility. Their feedback, along with extensive sessions in front of the simulator, both before and during the weekend, will be decisive not only for choosing the correct “setting” but also for testing the effectiveness of specific changes requested by the driver and, of course, for studying tire behavior over medium to long stints. But how is the setup chosen through the use of the simulator?

F1 Sprint Race: Changes Required to Optimize the Spectacle-Focused Format
First, the track to be raced on is analyzed. In this case, considering Qatar, it’s known to require a good compromise between downforce and efficiency, combined with a high ability to navigate the various high-speed corners. Brake stability is also essential since extracting performance requires a significant use of the “trail-braking” technique, which combines steering and braking to carry more speed into the corner’s entry. Despite recent resurfacing, the Losail tarmac isn’t very abrasive, offering fairly poor grip.

The low level of grip is also due to the sand that, driven by the wind, accumulates at various points on the track. The tires, given the high number of fast corners, are put under significant stress for most of the lap. For this reason, Pirelli has provided the harder compounds in its range (C1, C2, and C3). From the track’s characteristics, the study then proceeds to test various combinations of aerodynamic and mechanical components to find the right balance and maximum performance.

Getting into specifics, we know that wing load, both front and rear, is analyzed to determine which beam wing specification best suits the chosen configuration. The car’s specific ground clearances are also evaluated to “adjust” the floor by setting the suspensions, a necessary prerogative for maintaining the distance from the reference plane (the tarmac) as constant as possible, thus avoiding detrimental localized and sudden loss of downforce.

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All this work during rounds that include the Sprint Race must be completed within the single available hour. Naturally, this topic is a thorny one and does not satisfy the teams’ engineers, who are forced to work miracles to figure out how to make the cars perform at their best. This is precisely why, according to the information gathered by the editorial staff of FUnoanalisitecnica, the format may be revised in certain aspects. Several teams have already prepared a kind of “dossier” to explain how difficult it is to “operate” under these conditions.

However, it remains challenging to imagine that the meeting between teams, the International Federation, and F1 will end smoothly. The basic distrust arises from the closed attitude often displayed by the top tier of motorsport. One hypothesis would concern the possibility of being able to intervene on the car setup before the Sunday race to correct an imperfect setup once the Sprint Race data is set aside.

Although we will undoubtedly learn more on this topic in the coming weeks, ultimately, one fact needs to be emphasized, as we have been informed in recent days, especially during the Middle Eastern weekend. The governance of Formula One, while showing a certain openness to this issue, has no intention of stepping back, not even an inch when it comes to the spectacle: a must that has been at the core of the sport for some time now. Therefore, any factor that might in any way not favor or limit the on-track show will be discarded a priori.