Formula 1 has confirmed that six Sprint Races are expected to take place in the 2022 campaign and the first round, which is scheduled on 20th March, may in fact be the first to use the Sprint format.
Last season, the Sprint race weekend format was tested at three events (the British GP, Italian GP and Brazilian GP), with qualifying taking place on Friday evening, the Sprint race on Saturday and the main Grand Prix on Sunday just as usual.
However, the format for the 2022 Formula 1 championship could actually change, as Saturday’s race may have no impact on the Grand Prix, therefore remaining a standalone event. Drivers would still be able to gain points from the Sprint race, with the final format which will be determined in the following weeks.
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The locations that will host the Sprint race weekends have not yet been officially confirmed, but several media outlets report that Bahrain could be the first. At the same time, Motorsport.com reports that the free practice sessions, qualifying, and the main Grand Prix would be held on the traditional layout, while the Sprint race on Saturday would take place on the Outer Circuit, which also hosted an event in 2020, when George Russell replaced Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes in what was known as the Sakhir Grand Prix. It proved for an exciting race and saw Sergio Perez score his first Formula 1 victory.
When asked about the possibility of a Sprint race format for the first round of the 2021 Formula 1 season, Salman Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the executive director of the Bahrain International Circuit, explained: “In theory, we can do it and we will support whatever Formula 1 wants us to do.”
He also added that they “would support it” but for the time being, he is waiting to see “how they discuss it first” as there “will always be questions about how to race on one track and then another.”
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