The late restart at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku last weekend can be considered a “good prequel” to this year’s new Sprint Qualifying, according to Ross Brawn, the managing director, motor sports and technical director of Formula One.
The first of three 2021 events with the brand-new Sprint Qualifying weekend format will be the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 16-18. Sprint Qualifying will be a race run over 100km and lasting around 25-30 minutes. It is designed to provide a short and fast-paced racing spectacle – similar to a Twenty20 cricket match – with drivers racing flat-out from start to finish without the need to pit.
Points will be awarded to the top three finishers, three for the winner down to one point for third. There won’t be a podium ceremony, as that honour will remain the privilege of the top three in Sunday’s Grand Prix, however the winner will get a trophy in Parc Ferme, presented in a similar manner to the tyre the pole-sitter currently from F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli after qualifying now.
The finishing order of the race will define the grid for Sunday’s showpiece event – the Grand Prix, where the traditional format will remain unchanged.
The drivers have been extremely positive about Sprint Qualifying, saying it will be ‘intense’ and that fans will see cars being ‘pushed to the max’.
It is also due to be run at Monza’s Italian Grand Prix and a yet-to-be-determined third location.
Sunday’s race at the Baku City Circuit featured a standing restart just two laps before the finish, following a red flag period due to Max Verstappen’s tyre failure.
“I was encouraged to hear a number of commentators say we needed another 10 laps of the action we saw in the final two laps of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix because it acts as a good prequel to sprint qualifying. Sprint qualifying will be a little longer, around 17 to 20 laps, but it could well feature the same type of thrilling racing as the drivers won’t have to worry about saving tyres.” – Ross Brawn explained.
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