Formula 1 Sprint Qualifying races will go ahead this year once sticking points around the plan are resolved, two team bosses have said.
The series is eager to introduce the new format on a trial basis at three rounds on the 2021 F1 calendar.Under the proposal qualifying will be held on Friday at the selected rounds, and set the starting order for a short race on Saturday, which will decide the grid for the grand prix. However teams are keen to extract guarantees from F1’s commercial rights holder that they will be compensated for any costs arising from damage incurred in the extra races.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl believes a solution is in sight. “There’s a lot of different ways how you can solve the current discussions,” he said. “As always, it’s not that easy to get opportunistic teams and everyone on the same page, but I’m confident we will find a solution during this weekend and then simply we can go ahead and focus on the implementation of it.”
F1 teams are believed to have requested an arrangement akin to an insurance policy to cover them financially in the event of a major crash occurring in a sprint race. Seidl said it was up to F1 to confirm the final arrangements.
“We have an agreement with Formula 1 that this is down to them to communicate. There is communications and discussions we’re having there at the moment. Again, we like the proposals which are on the table and would support them.”
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Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said he is “assuming there will be some Sprint Qualifying in some races” this year, but acknowledged “there is a few details to be ironed out.”
The first race weekend of the new season has begun with questions still hanging over exactly how many points drivers will be able to score at each round. If the new Sprint Qualifying races are approved, they are expected to award six points shared between the top three finishers.
Steiner said he has no problem with the championship beginning amid unresolved questions over its points structure and format.
“I think we are in a fast-moving world, we just need to adapt to it and to stay current. And for me, that’s OK. I think we have got enough information now that should it happen, which I think it will, that we can get ready. So I don’t see a big issue.
“Obviously it’s a change from the past that we start the season not knowing exactly the whole timetable of the year. But we are still in this, I call it the pandemic times, so a little bit of it is down to that one, that we are now used to a little bit of uncertainty.
“At some stage when we get back that we know exactly what we do before we start the season. But I think we can live with it.”
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Kevin C (@kev-f1)
26th March 2021, 13:22
Possible damage, More tyres needed, more engine wear – all issues that seem to be up in the air at the moment! So what happens if a car (or 19!) ends up needing significant repairs or blows up an engine following a sprint race, with limited time and Parc Ferme conditions in place? Just seems like a gimmick to me to try and boost viewers, but just detracts from the race proper on a Sunday….
Gusmaia
26th March 2021, 15:43
Unless the track is terribly favourable to position changes, it will be first corner qualifying – whatever the result after the first corner, the teams willl just keep pace and finish the sprint race.
Why fight for one or two position in the sprint race if they wont award point and can affect the performance on sunday (particularlt on PU wear)?
Jere (@jerejj)
26th March 2021, 16:11
@kev-f1 Unnecessary to have more tyre sets. Drivers would use a single one anyway, unless for damage.
Gusmaia
26th March 2021, 17:14
Potential situations more tyre sets would be required even for an additional 20laps stint:
– a spin/hard lock
– slow hard puncture
– changing weather conditions – almost certain for Britain and Brazil.
John H (@john-h)
26th March 2021, 13:38
Wasting time solving a problem of their own making.
Peter.Gavin
26th March 2021, 13:53
Pushing through silly gimmicks will always have unintended consequences. I hope this comes back to bite them so we can get past the silly idea of sprint races, reverse grids, qualifying races & stuff to artificially ‘mix things up’.
I was hoping we would be past that after the Bernie era, But no we are still having artificial things like this & gimmicks like reverse grids getting proposed. I wonder how long it will be before that gimmick is put forward again in some form?
S
26th March 2021, 13:55
They should have just run a few reverse grid races last year and they wouldn’t be having these issues now.
It would all either be completely sorted, or rejected already.
Robbie (@robbie)
26th March 2021, 14:02
It’s not like Liberty/Brawn/Domenicali would have not already known well ahead of even proposing this trial to the teams, that they would be asking them to run an extra one hour session during those weekends, which would have fuel, tire, and component wear or damage implications. All of this is well within easily being managed by simply relaxing a bit on some of the restrictions that have been put in place over recent years, including that they now run for one hour less on Fridays.
I think if it with an analogy like this…if you downsize to a smaller house, you reduce if not eliminate your mortgage, your property taxes go down, your utilities go down, and so you can now easily afford to go to a restaurant a few more times a month.
anon
26th March 2021, 14:48
If it was both so easy to predict and to manage, shouldn’t it have already been written into the original proposal instead of still being sorted out now? I don’t see the current process as evidence of good management – if anything, it gives the impression of rushed decision making.
Robbie (@robbie)
27th March 2021, 11:15
anon This hardly seems rushed and I see nothing wrong with giving all the teams their say before settling on the final details. Better than saying here’s how it will be only to have some raise worthy feedback after the fact.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th March 2021, 18:21
The field seems to be converging performance wise, so why even bother? I know it’s just money talk, they want to squeeze more juice out of the same old orange, and it’s been tiring discussing this, but man… what a waste of time!
IVAYLO
26th March 2021, 22:02
The continued disregard for the fan’s input in this discussion is intended to demoralize us into accepting Liberty Media’s greedy desire to trade in the integrity, history, fairness of this sport in order to expand their advertising platform. We shouldn’t negotiate with those who argue in bad faith. Do not be fooled; this is NOT an attempt to improve racing.