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.
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