F1 announced the six sprint race hosts for next season on Thursday, although many fans quickly highlighted their frustration on social media.
Only one change has been made from this season's sprint line-up for next year, with Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium replacing Austria's Red Bull Ring as a sprint race host.
Belgium joins China, Miami, Austin, Brazil and Qatar as a sprint host next year, which sees a 100 km race before qualifying on a grand prix Saturday.
When the sprint format is in use, a sprint qualifying runs after first practice on Friday. Only one practice session takes place during sprint weekends.
The sprint races have been met with a mixed response since being introduced in 2021. However, F1 has indicated their positivity for promoters, with a significant uptick in TV audiences and social media interaction.
But what are your thoughts?
Have your say in the poll below!
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Paul Woodthorpe
The problem with sprints is that it doesn't add any new dimension. They should adopt a similar strategy to F2 whereby they have ONE qualifying session for Sunday's race, and then take the results of that qualifying and flip the Top 10 with the Bottom 10 for the sprint race. Not a complete reverse of the grid, but more a simple swap of 10 for 10. So 1st will start the sprint in 11th, 2nd in 12th, while 11th will start on Pole, etc. This means Pole will count as pole for the Main Race, and a better grid spot for the bottom half of the grid in the Sprint. It also lets the likes of Haas, Alpine, Stake and Williams to fight it out for some much needed points during Sprints, which tightens up the battles for all positions on the constructors leaderboard. It increases the need for faster cars to overtake slower ones to steal some points, and the entire event stands out as unique and in no way effecting the Sunday race at all. It also free's up a Sprint Qualifying to allow something else, like a 2nd Practice, or maybe a Reserve Driver practice session where teams must only field reserve/test drivers to give them mileage, leading to more practice for the likes of Antonelli, Doohan, etc, but also some excellent publicity for a team inviting Vettel or Button to be their nominated driver for that single practice. With everyone fighting harder in a Sprint to take/keep points it will make it exciting, and can be replicated across all tracks in the calendar.
Bohunkgearhead
I agree with Paul. I have been a supporter of the F2 format for some time. It would make the sprint more exciting and change the points a bit.
Patrick Chapman
There are many different things that can be done to improve the sprint format but even if they make no changes at all it is still more interesting and exciting than watching free practice. I have followed F1 since the early 1960's and I don't bother to watch FP1 or 2. FP3 can sometimes be quite interesting as they are doing qualy simulations so you can get an idea of the pecking order but either way a sprint race is much more fun for me than practice sessions.
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BeniHana
How about a seperate championship for the sprints. Or even a set of races for the reserve drivers or academy drivers to contest a race in 1 year old F1 machinery?
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