McLaren CEO Zak Brown has proposed the implementation of mandatory pit stops in Sprint races to counter the continued criticism towards Formula 1’s divisive format.
Despite undergoing numerous tweaks since being introduced in 2021, the Sprint schedule has been lambasted continuously following a series of lacklustre truncated races that also revealed the performance trends of the cars ahead of Sunday’s grand prix encounter.
During the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend it was announced that the F1 Commission had granted its approval for more modifications to be submitted ahead of the next season.
It is speculated that Sprint qualifying will be moved back to Friday, followed by the Sprint on Saturday before the one-hour qualifying session for the grand prix later that day.
Meanwhile, a radical move to reverse part of the grid from Sprint qualifying is under discussion, having been suggested by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Christian Horner.
But reigning champion Max Verstappen has consistently voiced his disapproval of the format, stating that he receives “no satisfaction” from winning a Sprint race.
Although Brown concurs with the Dutchman that the alteration in its current form needs changing, he disagrees that Sprint events steal the limelight from Sunday’s encounter.
“I don’t think they take away from the glamour of the grand prix but I do think we need to, which we are doing, look at the format,” Brown told the Track Limits podcast.
“I think he’d [Verstappen] say on the whole they haven’t been quite as exciting as they can be. So whether that’s reverse grids, whether that’s mandatory pit stops, whether it’s a super super soft tyre that goes off halfway through the race. I think we do need to do something to mix up the race.”
Regarding the one suggestion he would make to improve the spectacle, Brown has touted how compulsory pit stops could add an extra strategic dimension to the Sprint.
Under the current sporting regulations, the drivers are permitted to run the 100km shortened races on a single set of tyres from lights out right through to the chequered flag.
“I think mandatory pit stops would be good,” Brown commented. “And I think if we had super soft tyres that deliberately went off halfway through and you then had to decide do you change? Do you not change?
“I think that would be a way to kind of condense [it into a] mini grand prix and make it because right now there’s no strategy. Sprint race, you just sprint so I think that would be interesting.”
The Sprint format will continue to be present at six events across the 2024 season, with Miami and China being added to the roster alongside Austin, Austria, Brazil and Qatar.
I haven’t checked, but don’t they run sprint races in the lower series??
Where is the feedback from those on what makes those interesting.
But that leads to the deeper issues. Whenever a change is mooted, nobody in the FIA is able to quote or explain the criteria by which the changes will be judged, Are they even measurable, quantitively or qualitatively. And rather than just one change how about considering half a dozen at the same time, Comment on all the benefits of each, but also the drawbacks.
Get rid of sprint races completely. They increase costs and the environmental footprint with higher fuel usage, additional damage to cars, prevent cars to be set up properly with no real ability to test cars outside race weekends and spoil the real race with cars being damaged. Sprint races are beneath F1 and Brown’s comments reflect his USA background that the spectacle is all that matters regardless of an traditions and the true value of F1 which is to develop the best cars with the latest technology with the best drivers not having to show off for those who do not fully appreciate F1. reverse grids are ridiculous and any thought of forced tire cahnges and teh resultant forced stop is crazy in short races. Amongst my friends that gave been motor racing fans for decades and their younger family members I am not aware of any that appreciate sprint races being anything more than a spectacle for teh uninitiated F1 spectators.
Get rid of sprint races completely. They increase costs and the environmental footprint with higher fuel usage, additional damage to cars, prevent cars to be set up properly with no real ability to test cars outside race weekends and spoil the real race with cars being damaged. Sprint races are beneath F1 and Brown’s comments reflect his USA background that the spectacle is all that matters regardless of an traditions and the true value of F1 which is to develop the best cars with the latest technology with the best drivers not having to show off for those who do not fully appreciate F1. reverse grids are ridiculous and any thought of forced tire cahnges and the resultant forced stop is crazy in short races. Amongst my friends that gave been motor racing fans for decades and their younger family members I am not aware of any that appreciate sprint races being anything more than a spectacle for teh uninitiated F1 spectators.