By Joe Murphy
F1’s new spring break felt endless. At the time of writing, we are mere days away from the streak ending and Formula 1 being back on our screens. That being said, this ever-evolving sport has new changes that some fans may find it hard to get their head around. So let’s delve into what the new sprint format will look like, ahead of the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Firstly, there will now be a sprint qualifying. This will consist of three sessions of 12, 10 and 8 minutes compared to 18, 15, and 12 for a normal qualifying session.
For sprint qualifying, teams have to use new tyres in each session, with medium compound tyres in the first two and soft tyres in the final run. This plan has only just been revealed to teams this week, not giving much time for preparation.
In essance, the sprint will effectively become a standalone feature of race weekends when the format is used, with the outcome bearing no actual impact on the grid for the Grand Prix itself. This could make it more competitive, with drivers more likely to task risks if Sunday remains unaffected.
Fridays will now include an FP1 session and qualifying session to set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix, while Saturdays will include the continuing 100km race and the aforementioned qualifying session.
Points for the Sprint race remain the same, with eight handed out to the winner, seven to second place, six to third and so on down to one in eighth, both drivers and teams will log points in their respective championships so there is implications on both standings. Baku hosts the first of this season, let’s see how it all unfolds this weekend.
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