F1 plans trialling shorter ‘sprint races’ to replace qualifying THIS season

Method One is planning for one in all its greatest ever weekend overhauls by binning the standard quickest lap qualifying format and changing it with a dash race at sure races.

Because the world championship’s inception in 1950, race order begins have at all times been determined by the drivers who set the quickest laps throughout one or a number of qualifying classes. 

Nevertheless, in an try to spice up the game’s enchantment throughout a race weekend, dramatic new proposals are set to be put to vote on Thursday which might see a brief race of round 100km, about one third of a typical grand prix, contested on a Saturday to switch qualifying.

A dash race may substitute qualifying to resolve the staring order for a Sunday grand prix

Whereas nonetheless figuring out the order for Sunday’s race, the highest eight finishers from the brand new qualifying format would decide up round half the factors earned from a standard race.

The order for the race on the Saturday can be decided by a qualifying session held on Friday, which might substitute the day’s second follow session. 

The F1 Fee of senior figures will talk about the proposals on Thursday, with 28 of 30 votes wanted to see it efficiently handed.

F1 and the governing physique the FIA have 10 votes every, with the remaining going to the bosses of the Method One groups.

Dash races as an concept should not new to the game however earlier guises which noticed it within the type of reverse grid races seem to have been dropped for good.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali confirmed trials for a dash race could possibly be held this yr

With essentially the most to lose from the concept, Mercedes have been the primary block to reverse grid races final time period however are regarded as extra open minded to the most recent proposal.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali mentioned in a information convention final week: ‘Reverse grid is over. It is essential to think about new concepts of being extra engaging or fascinating however we do not have to lose the standard strategy of racing.

‘Once we modified qualifying each couple of days [at the start of 2016], it burned our fingers.

‘Now, the system is kind of secure. We’re taking a look at what could possibly be the strategy of the so-called dash race on Saturday. We’re considering that could possibly be examined perhaps this yr.’

Ought to the proposals be accepted it might be eased in on a trial foundation, with three venues in Canada, Italy and Brazil all being thought-about.

Monza and Interlagos have usually supplied good circuits for overtaking up to now and may the format show profitable then extra occasions may see dash races in 2022.

Monza’s lengthy straights supply perfect overtaking spots making it a attainable trial venue for the concept

Whereas it’s but to be seen if groups will settle for the brand new proposals, F1 has been lengthy in search of methods to boost its enchantment past race day and qualifying.

The format of two 90-minute follow classes on Friday and a following hour the subsequent day is simply watched by the devoted F1 supporter as a result of its minimal influence on the primary occasions of the weekend.

Instances set throughout these classes are all however meaningless as groups give attention to perfecting their automotive set-up.

Groups although may object to the concept of the dash race on a price foundation in relation to the elevated danger of struggling vital automotive injury in distinction to the extra cleaner on observe motion of qualifying by setting a quick lap.