Max Verstappen admitted the revised Formula 1 Sprint format for 2024 was an improvement but said more weekends with Sprints “will take their toll on everybody”.
The new format was tested for the first time during the Chinese Grand Prix and saw the schedule altered to have the Sprint sessions take place before qualifying.
On Saturday morning, the Sprint race was run, followed by a reopening of parc ferme to permit setup tweaks to the cars before GP Qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
As ever, the Grand Prix took place on Sunday and after a dominant victory, Verstappen gave his verdict on the new Sprint format.
“The Sprint format was better, I think,” Verstappen said.
“A bit more straightforward, I would say. But yeah, let’s not overdo it as well, you know, because we are already doing 24 races a year, six of these Sprint events as well.
“I get it. I guess it sells better and better numbers on TV, but it’s also more stress on the mechanics and everything, to get everything every time tiptop, so yeah, we take it, I mean you have to deal with it, but let’s not think that now we need 12 of those because it will take its toll on people as well.”
Verstappen was joined on the podium by McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, who both stressed the importance on limiting Sprints for the benefit of team personnel.
Norris began with a traditionalist point of view saying “To be honest, I’d always prefer the old, original race format. This is what I’ve grown up watching, it’s what I’ve always liked the most.”
The McLaren driver did lend some merit to Sprints, however, adding that he likes “having the pressure” of just a single practice session before launching into qualifying.
“I think it gives people less chance to just get the car perfect and I think that’s when you just start to see team, team, team, team rather than a mix,” he said.
“So I do think it works from that perspective. But the main point is just the toll it has on mechanics and engineers.
“I don’t think it’s too bad for us as drivers, honestly. I don’t think we can be the ones to complain at all. It’s the hundreds of mechanics and engineers that we have here that have to travel so much. It’s not healthy for them. It is not sustainable.”
Perez added that with 24 rounds on the calendar, “the amount of stress, it puts, these Sprint events to [our] mechanics is quite large.
“I think as a sport we really have to look after our people, our mechanics. Because yeah, we are definitely on the limit. I think that’s a point to consider.”
Sprint action resumes next weekend when F1 heads to Miami, with Austria, Austin, Sao Paulo and Qatar set to host the remaining Sprints in 2024.
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