Sainz open to experimenting to find ideal F1 Sprint format

Carlos Sainz has stated he is keen to see further experimentation with the F1 Sprint format in order to find a better weekend schedule.

The format is set to undergo further changes for next year's campaign with sprint qualifying moved to Friday afternoon.

The shorter race and qualifying for the Grand Prix itself would then be held on Saturday, with the main race unmoved from its Sunday slot.

Alterations have been made every year to the sprint format following its introduction in 2021.

However, criticism has been aimed at the sprint races with drivers, including Saniz, suggesting that they give away too much information about how the Grand Prix may play out.

Next year, the Chinese, Miami, Austrian, United States, São Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix will host sprint weekends.

Further topics that are being discussed include reverse grid races, a subject that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton admitted that he is in favour of.

Sainz has backed Formula 1 to keep alternating the format until it detects a schedule that benefits sprint weekends to their maximum potential.

“I think right now, I agree that six [events] is enough,” Sainz told media including RacingNews365.

“I agree that Saturday's too revealing of what's going to happen on Sunday. It is basically the first stint of the race of Sunday, what you're watching on TV, and this doesn't help, I think, the show for the main race that is the Grand Prix.

“So you arrive to the point, you’d better try something else on Saturday. Is that reverse grids? Is that single lap qualifying? Is that… whatever, I don't know.

“But I think given that the Sprint format is a bit of an experiment going on right now in Formula 1, I would be open to keep experimenting to see which format is best.

“For me the one we have now, just Saturday, doesn't feel completely right for what then comes on Sunday.”