F1 chief predicts 12 Sprint races per year and planning for Baku format change
Haas chief Guenther Steiner is planning for the mooted change to the Formula 1 Sprint format to be approved ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The divisive format first introduced two years ago on a trial basis returns in Baku. It is the first of six Sprint races planned for 2023 – double the number held in each of the previous two seasons with F1 chiefs keen to expand what they feel has been a successful pilot to date.
Not everyone is on board. Max Verstappen has been one of the most vocal critics of the Sprint and, when a tweak to the format was proposed for this season, he even went as far as to threaten to walk away from the sport if F1 chiefs don't stop making such changes.
Chief executive Stefano Domenicali recently proposed to axe the second practice session of the weekend, on the Saturday morning, and replace it with a qualifying for the short form race. Qualifying for the main Grand Prix would take place as usual on the Friday.
The topic will be voted on at a meeting of the F1 Commission set to take place on Tuesday and is expected to be given the green light. Speaking to Mirror Sport, Steiner said his team has been planning for the weekend under the assumption it will be approved, and voiced his support of the idea.
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He said: "It's not only in Formula 1 – people don't like change, but we need to change to stay current. I wouldn't see why we don't do it. We're planning for it to happen. And it's a good thing because that Saturday morning practice session is boring for me, so I can imagine how boring it is for a fan. Why would you watch that?
Guenther Steiner thinks the Sprint format could be expanded further in the future (Getty Images)"You can't do anything. You put two sets of tyres on and run 10 or 12 laps on each to then find out it's not any good – but you can't do anything about it. It's better to go into the race not knowing that you're bad. All you can find out is that you're not good, but you can't do anything about it. I cannot change it anyway.
"So Sprint qualifying is good. The other thing is people want more races, but we cannot fit more races into the calendar at the moment without having a second race team. But a second race team costs a lot of money. So put more Sprint races on on a Saturday and then you have more races while staying in the same place.
"It can cost more if you've got accident damage but, in theory, the running is similar to practice. I don't know anybody who prefers watching practice to a race. So I think we can do more races by racing on Saturdays."
Steiner went on to express his belief that a further expansion of the Sprint format could be on the way. He added: "Not all the races, but maybe in the years to come we can increase from six to 12. But that's Stefano's deal."
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