Formula 1 pundit Martin Brundle feels the sport’s new sprint format, which was used at last weekend’s British Grand Prix, was generally very positive. The format will next be used at the Italian GP in September with qualifying taking place on Friday, a 100km sprint race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. There was a mixed response to the new concept following the events at Silverstone but Brundle thinks it worked well. “I thought the new sprint format showed a lot of promise,” Brundle wrote on his column for Sky Sports. “I could not help but think when I was out on track Saturday morning seeing the swathes of enthusiastic fans that 'we have got a race for you today rather than cars trying hard not to be near each other for a qualifying lap'. “The 17-lapper had some key moments even at the front, and fears that drivers would not be bothered about risking it all for a grid space or two unsurprisingly turned out to be wrong.” F1’s sprint format will be used two more times this year at Monza and either the US or Brazilian GP. One aspect Brundle would like to change is the way pole position is awarded. “It would not work at street circuits of course, and we must stop pretending it's not a race because it is,” said Brundle. “Also, to avoid confusion 'qualifying' should generate pole position whether it's on Friday or Saturday.”
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