“You’d Better Try Something Else”: Carlos Sainz Seconds Christian Horner’s Statement on F1 Needing to Improve Sprint Races

Christian Horner recently put out a statement that F1 could do a “better job” in making sprint races more exciting for the fans. Now, Carlos Sainz has joined that particular bandwagon and urged Formula 1 to get creative with their ideas.

“You’d better try something else on Saturday. Is that reverse grids? Is that single-lap qualifying? Whatever, I don’t know,” began the Spaniard.

He explained his rationale behind the comment, too. “I agree that Saturday’s too revealing of what’s going to happen on Sunday. It is basically the first stint of the race of Sunday, what you’re watching on TV. And this doesn’t help, I think.”

Full belief in Carlos Sainz to bounce back after a tough weekend

The new Sprint format simply didn’t suit him last weekend. If you don’t have confidence in the car, it’s very difficult to find it again once the car is in parc fermé after FP1, especially on a street track. pic.twitter.com/x36x0DDLwE

— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) May 2, 2023

That being said, the Ferrari racing ace feels that the quota of six sprint events every year on the calendar is sufficient. But Sainz does feel that the monotony of the Sprint Race sometimes takes away the allure of the all-important Grand Prix on the Sunday.

According to Sky Sports F1, the 2024 format for the expanded calendar of Sprint Races will see the sprint shootout/quali be pushed back to Friday with Qualifying for the main race and the Sprint Race being conducted on Saturday.

Despite no enthusiasm, Formula 1 keen on making Sprint Races work

Formula 1 is very keen on making the Sprint format work. F1 feels that the addition of the sprint shootout and race has added to the overall amount of meaningful action fans get to see throughout a race weekend.

Hence, in 2024, the sport has accommodated 6 venues that will hold the race. China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar will host a Sprint Race weekend during the 2024 F1 season.

Introducing the 2024 #F1Sprint Calendar!

Six venues will host F1 Sprint events during the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.#F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/Sv2GOjsWb6

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 5, 2023

Sprint Races are just 1/3rd the Grand Prix race distance and hence offer very few laps for any sort of overtaking to be done. Moreover, there is no mandatory pit-stop and hence, the element of strategy is also eliminated, making the races often seem like a procession rather than a race.

Hence, even drivers like Sainz have admitted that they do not feel right taking part in the Sprint Races on a Saturday. “For me the one we have now, just Saturday, doesn’t feel completely right for what then comes on Sunday,” Sainz concluded.