How Does Sprint Shootout Work in Formula 1?

Formula 1 has introduced a new format to the much-talked-about sprint in 2023. After increasing the number of sprint races throughout the season, the governing body has incorporated an additional event before the actual sprint. Known as the Sprint Shootout, the change was made ahead of this year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

The change in the format has finally arrived despite all the talks and complications, especially by Max Verstappen. The drivers, as well as executives, had mixed feelings about adding a new event to the already packed-up weekend. But the sprint shootout is finally in existence.

What is Sprint Shootout in F1?

The sprint shootout is the event that forms the grid for the sprint race. In simpler words, the grid setter for the sprint race, similar to race qualifying, usually takes place on Saturday.

Earlier, the qualifying was used to determine the grid order for the sprint race, and the latter used to do the same for the main race while also giving a few points. But now that rule has been made away with it, and the sprint race has its own exclusive day.

How does Sprint Shootout work?

The Sprint Shootout has a different time limit than that of the main race qualifications. While the main qualification has 18 minutes for Q1, 15 minutes for Q2, and 12 minutes for Q3. For Shootout, it’s 12 minutes for SQ1, 10 minutes for SQ2, and 8 minutes for SQ3, as per sources.

Furthermore, in the main qualification, there’s no gap in between. But for the Shootout, there will be a gap of seven minutes between each session, that is, Q1 and Q2, and Q2 and Q3.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will see the first-ever sprint shootout on Saturday. It’ll be the first time in the history of F1 that two different qualifications will be taking place in a single weekend.

While the qualification and main race will remain to be held on Saturday and Sunday for non-sprint race weekends, for Sprint race weekends, the schedule is to be on Friday for free practice and race qualifications, Saturday for sprint shootout and sprint race, and Sunday for the main race.

Why was Sprint Shootout introduced?

The Shootout mimics the original qualifying format, but the time duration is shorter. This was brought in to give the drivers an extra shot at qualifying and not jeopardize their main race start.

As seen in the last two seasons, a troubled start on the Sprint by a driver has diminished all the efforts they put on during the qualification. Someone who couldn’t bring out a good lap time in qualifying sessions got the advantage by having a better reaction time.

Hence, to enable the drivers to keep their race qualification as it is and not to disturb them with Sprint race results, a new qualification format was brought up despite all the complications.