New sprint format for 2024 still taking shape

Nov.25 (GMM) Formula 1 has moved one step closer to tweaking the ‘sprint race’ weekend format for 2024.

The F1 Commission met at the Abu Dhabi finale on Friday, where stakeholders gave “support for an update” to the format to better separate “sprint activities from those of the grand prix”.

It is believed the main change will be moving sprint qualifying to the session after Friday practice, with the sprint race to then take place on Saturday prior to the main qualifying session for Sunday’s grand prix.

“We think that some tuning in the sequence of the sessions, and some changes when it comes to the parc ferme rules is the right direction,” said McLaren boss Andrea Stella.

A detailed proposal will now be prepared for January’s F1 Commission meeting, with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also still calling for a reverse sprint grid in order to spice up the often processional short race.

“I think it needs a bit more work on it within the sporting forum,” he said. “Then we’ll sit down at the next Commission meeting early in the new year and hopefully finalise a format.”

The retiring Alpha Tauri boss Franz Tost also admits he is arguing for an extension of Friday free practice to 90 minutes to help less experienced drivers during the hectic sprint weekends.

Without that change, he says, F1 teams will have to think very hard about “whether to take a rookie driver or not”.