“The most important celebration will still be Sunday”- Stefano Domenicali wants Sunday to be superior to Saturday sprint races.
Formula 1 is considering to add the Sprint races in the Grand Prix weekends, even with a mixed response from the fraternity. However, it will not overtake Sunday’s prominence, claims F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
According to him, the proposal of sprint races will be presented before the Bahrain Grand Prix, but whatever happens, it will be not having podium celebrations.
“We are defining the sprint races now, and we will present the programme before the Bahrain Grand Prix,” said Domenicali, at an event where F1 revealed a new tie-up with Ferrari Trento to provide its sparkling wine for the podiums from this year.
“We have to make sure that there is a difference between the iconic celebration of the race – which is the iconic moment at the end of the event on Sunday afternoon.
“That’s the peak of the event, and that has to be kept separate from the other moments. So the most important celebration will still be Sunday afternoon, and not Saturday.”
Alpine shows excitement
Renault executive director Marcin Budkowsk has backed the idea of the Grand Prix week shakeup among the minority to neither show objection nor neutrality. “Sprint races, or whatever they’re going to be called – super qualifying – it’s excitement over three days,” he said.
“We can qualify on the Friday, race on the Saturday, and race again on Sunday. And we’re going to go a lot less prepared into qualifying. For the fans at the circuit or home, it’s three days of excitement.
“Teams sometimes look at it, and we’re so obsessed about competing with each other, we’re so obsessed about proving our competitiveness and performance, but we need to put on a good show.
“I think that’s going to help to put a good show for the fans. So let’s try new formats. It’s a great opportunity to see if it’s something we want to carry over for the next seasons.”
