Lando Norris has hit out at the “really shocking” shocking structure that exists in the Formula 2 and Formula 3 categories.
The McLaren driver is also an advocate for allowing the drivers in the junior categories to have more track time during race weekends to build experience.
Both F2 and F3 have just one practice session before jumping into qualifying, which is then followed by a Sprint and Feature Race.
In recent weeks, altering the F1 race weekend and reducing practice time has been a topic of discussion, with Mercedes’ George Russell stating that its support series should receive more practice time.
F2 and F3 are also known to be extremely expensive for drivers to compete in, with Norris stating that the return on the investment is “shocking”.
“From that point of it, I completely agree,” Norris said when notified about Russell’s suggestion for more track time.
“For F2 and F3, one is that they have terrible tyres which last about a lap.
“I guess from my time in it, when you see the cost of how much it is to do this series versus the amount of laps you get, it’s shocking.
“It’s really shocking to see how much money you spend to do a junior category before F1 just to give yourself a chance to be in F1, it’s really stupid.
“To give them more track time, more sets of tyres in practice, they have one set of tyres for FP1, which is nothing.
“They only have FP1 as well, which is terrible. It would be good if they had more track time. I think it’s a good thing for junior drivers to get that.”
F1 is set to alter the upcoming Sprint weekend format for Baku, with just one practice outing and two separate qualifying sessions for the Sprint and the main grand prix mooted.
Further changes to a race weekend format have divided opinion in the paddock – with Norris suggesting that currently, he doesn’t have a strong opinion on the matter.
“For F1, it’s not necessarily something I’ve thought of, to be honest with you,” he said.
“If you look at it in a simple way, practice is never going to be as interesting and qualifying and never going to be [as interesting] compared to the race.
“But I don’t know, I don’t know what else you would do, necessarily.”
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