A new experiment in F1: Another classification is considered in Baku

The F1 may experiment with another weekend format change next time F1 Azerbaijan GP. First, it was the weekend format test with sprint races two years ago. Then the change of this format with more points for the participants of the sprint appointment so that the pilots are more dangerous in these short sleeves. Then, the increase in money distributed to the teams in the event of an accident and the increase in the sprint weekend to 6 this year. And now, a brand new thing is coming: In Azerbaijanthe first sprint race weekend of the 2023 course, F1 wants to have two qualifying sessions.

Current weekend in sprint format

The current sprint race format is clear:

• On Friday there is Free Practice 1 and qualifying.
• He Saturday, Free 2 and sprint race.
• He Sunday, career long.

The contention and action in the sprint races in this current format has increased from the short sleeves that increased last year with the increased distribution of points. At the beginning of this experiment, only the top 3 got points. Now, points are awarded to the first 8 sprint heats. The higher the prize, the more action and the more willingness of pilots and teams to attack.

However, some riders and teams remain conservative with these short sleeves, aware that an accident could lead them to throw away their starting position for the race that really matters on Sunday. In addition, in the current format, Free Practice 2 is not important because it takes place at an unrepresentative time and teams do not need to prepare for qualifying because they have already played it the day before.

For this reason, the option proposed by F1 to continue increasing the excitement of the sprint races and encouraging the teams and drivers to continue the attack, without keeping the minimum, is so that the result of the race of sprint will not mark the order from the starting grid on Sunday. As? adding another classification before Sunday’s race.

The format they want to try: two qually

The format being studied for implementation for the Azerbaijan GP is as follows:

• He friday dispute Free 1 and one classification (Q1, Q2 and Q3) which should mark the starting position for Sunday.
• He Saturday will be a free day, with a shorter classification formatalso Q1, Q2 and Q3, which serves to establish the starting order for the sprint race. And that same Saturday sprint race. The option was considered that the classification for the sprint race would restore the old ‘shoot-out’ format, with one lap launched for each free track, but that idea seems to be losing ground. strength.
• He Sunday it will be the turn of long career.

There will be only one free practice

In this way, the testing work of the teams will be reduced to one free practice session 1 (Friday morning) throughout the weekend, and that is the CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, who ensured that it is necessary to remain free to practice of skills to a minimum as possible to increase chaos and uncertainty so that teams arrive at races with everything under control. That would complicate data analysis and add another point of improvisation to the show.

The vote should not take long to be carried out so that all teams can prepare for the next appointment on the calendar, which will be played in three weeks in Baku.