In 2021, F1 introduced sprint races to Formula 1 weekend and saw it had significant success. In 2022, F1 maintained the number of sprint races as of what it was in 2021 (three), and this week’s Brazilian Grand Prix will host the final sprint race of the season.
Race Week has returned! 💚
Interlagos calls, and for the second time here it’s an #F1Sprint weekend 🇧🇷#OutRaceYourself #PETRONASMotorsports #PETRONAS #MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/VGY7m2c8mh
— PETRONAS Motorsports (@PET_Motorsports) November 7, 2022
But for 2023, F1 has increased the number of sprint races to six. Seeing it certainly adds spice and uncertainty to the weekend. However, many teams and drivers are against the expansion of it and prefer the usual Grand Prix weekend format.
Moreover, with the budget cap, teams find sprint races a headache, as they always risk a repair bill. Thus, teams have managed to get a sprint race budget boost, but it’s still a big irritant.
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Max Verstappen doesn’t see a point in adding sprint races
Now with the number of sprint races being doubled for 2023, Verstappen isn’t delighted with having the scope of getting more points in his bag over a season. For the Dutchman, the sprint races add little value to the weekend.
“Every time I do these [sprint] races, it’s about ‘don’t get damage, make sure you stay in the top three,’” said Verstappen. “For me, that’s not really a race, because you go into the main race and know there are way more points available anyway. You risk a bit more there.”
Verstappen adds that sprint races don’t add any excitement as drivers manage to maintain their positions since the tyres with which they start last the length of a sprint race.
Just stick to the main race
Verstappen says that the usual main races are exciting anyway. Then what’s the need to add one-third distance of a race into the weekend? He claims drivers know that making mistakes in a sprint race could ruin their Sunday, so they don’t take risks anyway. Hence it’s not a race for him.
The 2022 world champion suggests that F1 should only stick to normal races and exclude the shorter and newer format. Verstappen is not alone when it comes to being critical of sprint races.
His rival Lewis Hamilton believes F1 has to be selective over which venues should host sprint races. He isn’t against the concept but thinks that a wrong venue can cause no overtaking, which he doesn’t like.
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