Sprint races: F1 persists and signs!

After inviting the media to a Sprint Racing training workshop before the initial experiment carried out at Silverstone last summer, Ross Brawn wanted to bring them together again to draw an initial assessment of the experience on the eve of the 3rd and last test.

In his introductory remarks, the sporting director of Liberty Media confirmed that there was indeed an agreement in principle between the various stakeholders in sport so that the number of qualifying races would increase from 3 to 6 in 2022. Double dose for double penalty or twice as much fun?

Listening to Brawn, you would almost believe that this is a smooth evolution! “ We have to go step by step, proceed with incremental touches and not radically, mainly because we have new cars that will be introduced, he explained.

Everyone needs to get acquainted with their new car. So we were quite conservative in our approach. But we are excited by the concept and we are happy that the F1 had the courage to try this idea. This can serve as a basis for introducing other new features ».

Is this really the F1 we ​​want to live in?

While the 3rd Sprint round scheduled for 2021 will take place in Brazil next week, the former technical director Ferrari first wanted to take stock of the first two full-scale tests organized at Silverstone and Monza.

Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the F1 Group, has repeatedly repeated that the reactions have been unanimously positive, but a simple trip online is enough to convince oneself of the opposite with much more mixed feedback. Why do you want to paint such a rosy picture of such a nuanced situation at all costs?

While the 3rd Sprint round scheduled for 2021 will take place in Brazil next week, the former Ferrari technical director first wanted to take stock of the first two full-scale tests organized at Silverstone and Monza.

« F1 fans aren't convinced yet, conceded Brawn during a round table organized this Monday with the specialized media. But they watched those Sprint races, they didn't turn off their television.

The majority of our fans, particularly newcomers, young people, casual fans, are excited by the concept. They especially like Friday. They find it more interesting to follow. I would like to emphasize the fact that we now have a real 3-day weekend, both for the fans and the promoters, but also for you, the journalists.

Many drivers spoke up to say they liked the new nuance of the Sprint Race with qualifying right after a single free session ».

Apart from the great start of Fernando Alonso at Silverstone, and the eventful start from Monza, the first two Sprints in history will not have really stirred up the crowds.

• Increased scale?

Brawn acknowledges this half-heartedly but asserts that “ it's the price to pay to experience a better quality weekend overall ».

To spice up F1 and the other stakeholders are thinking of making Saturday sexier, in particular via an increased points scale.

« Initially, we proposed that it should represent a third of that used in Grands Prix, rewound the old captain of Mercedes. This was a measure that was not taken as we felt we first needed to see how the format would work before awarding points. This can be a starting point for discussion.

We want there to be enough at stake to really encourage drivers to try things, including lower ranked riders. (currently only the leading trio scores points on a 3-2-1 scale, Editor's note).

But we also don't want too high a number which would have a major influence on the championship fight. There will be an effect of course but it should not be excessive ».

Could F1 go even further and cross the reverse grid Rubicon? Brawn is in any case in favor of it, but the sports director does not want to rush things at first. He nevertheless confirms that the Sprint could become an event independent of the rest of the weekend, always with a desire to energize Saturday.

• Enthusiasm of promoters

If we are to believe Brawn, all the promoters of the calendar are rushing to the gate to have a Sprint Race, the promise of a full weekend with at least one high-stakes session per day, and therefore additional income.

« All our promoters want to have a Sprint Race! Brawn enthused. There is no disadvantage to them in having a real session on Friday. Different factors must be taken into account, starting with equitable distribution throughout the season.

We probably want to avoid having a Sprint at the opening and conclusion of the year. We also need to see on what type of circuit these events make the most sense. We'll know a little more when we've seen the new cars in action. ».

Listening to Brawn deliver his argument carefully but precisely, we wondered if Sprint rounds were not going to become the norm in F1 in the not-so-distant future. Unfortunately, the former technical leader of the Scuderia has not ruled out this prospect, quite the contrary!

« I don't see why sport couldn't evolve in this direction.he concluded. We take the steps one after the other, he concluded. After having organized 6 Sprint rounds over a season, we will see if we can increase the number further.

We shouldn't be afraid to do it. Because if we do it, it will mean that the Sprint concept will have been successful. And if it establishes itself as a format of the future, we will have achieved it in the right way ».

Is this really the F1 you want to live in?