Why shorter races, MotoGP-style sprints and reverse grids are all “on the agenda” for F1

Formula 1 weekend formats are likely to undergo radical changes as the category adapts to cater for younger audiences and shorter attention spans, according to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Packing the calendar with more sprint events, adjusting the format of these races, and shortening the grands prix themselves have already been discussed with stakeholders including the drivers themselves. Domenicali claims a majority is now in favour of such measures.

As to fans, the message is essentially ‘it’s happening whether you like it or not, get used to it’.
 
The changes are coming not just to consolidate the TV audience, but also to enable race promoters to offer a package which will encourage ticket sales over the whole weekend.

At the moment, non-sprint weekends have two one-hour F1 practice sessions on a Friday, and the feeling is that simply having cars tootling around on track with no underlying narrative is insufficiently appealing.

“There’s a topic on the table concerning the format we’ll use in the coming years, starting with sprint weekends,” Domenicali told select media including Autosport.

“We need to understand whether to increase them, how to increase them, and whether to use different formats. We have several discussions to have with the teams to decide the direction.

“I have to say that aside from some older die-hard fans, everyone wants sprint weekends. Promoters push for this format and now the drivers are interested as well.

“I’m being a bit provocative, but free practice appeals to super-specialists; people who want to see more action prefer a sprint weekend. There’s more to discuss and comment on from Friday – there’s a qualifying session – but I understand it has to become part of F1 culture.

“The direction is clear: I can guarantee that in a few years there will be demand to have all weekends with the same format. I’m not saying we’ll get to MotoGP, which has a sprint at every round – that’s too big a step. I see it more as a maturation process that respects a more traditionalist approach.

“As for the drivers, initially 18 were against the sprint and two in favour – today it’s the opposite. We discussed it at the dinner we organised in Austria and everyone spoke in favour. Even Max, with whom I spoke one-on-one, is starting to say it makes sense, so I see evolution from everyone. In the end, drivers are born to race.”

If true, this would be a significant reversal. Verstappen has been among the most volubly critical of the sprint format, which was introduced in 2021.

Under the initial format, a qualifying session on Friday set the grid for Saturday’s sprint, the result of which determined the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.

The cars in Parc Ferme after Sprint Qualifying

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

In practice, though, the sprint essentially rearranged the field in pace order, arguably detracting from rather than improving the spectacle on Sunday; and the points on offer, awarded to just the top three finishers, were considered poor reward for the attendant risks.

The debugging process required two further iterations before arriving at the present format. But many drivers, including Verstappen, have remained loudly negative; that dinner in Austria must have been convivial indeed.

Domenicali’s argument is that simulation technology is sufficiently advanced for teams to go without two hours of practice on a Friday. Trigger warning for sensitive readers: yes, he of course talked up the possibilities of using artificial-intelligence tools without being any more specific.

But the mood music is that the public will get what the public wants – or what F1, the race promoters and the broadcasters think they want. And that is more racing, less opaque and seemingly inconsequential lappery.

“Promoters and fans want action,” said Domenicali. “And now that they’ve started to understand it’s possible: our surveys show the vast majority of the audience wants the drivers to fight for a result.

“To put it bluntly, they’re tired of free practice. That’s an objective fact we can’t ignore.” 

Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group talks with Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor of Alpine F1 ahead of the tribute to the late Eddie Jordan

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Shorter grands prix are also on the agenda. This will also cause traditionalists to chafe, although of course from the beginning of the world championship 75 years ago to the end of 1957, GPs were typically up to three hours long.

To a modern TV audience the 1956 Belgian Grand Prix, to pick a random example, might have caused interest to sag. After two hours and 40 minutes just eight cars were running at Spa, then over 14km long; victorious Peter Collins crossed the line nearly two minutes ahead of second-placed Paul Frere, and everyone below the podium positions was at least a lap down.

But even current races “may be a bit too long for younger audiences” says Domenicali.

“We’re seeing on many of our channels that highlights do very well. For those of us who grew up with the current format, everything is fine as is, but there’s a large segment that only wants to see the key moments.

“Things are going very well today, but precisely for that reason we must not rest on our laurels. We need to think about the next step.” 

Ghastly as this may seem for traditionalists, worse is in the offing since the reviled
reverse-grid concept is also being mooted. Domenicali justified bringing this idea back to the table on the grounds that “in F2 and F3 this format has been around for decades”, in this case very much stretching the definition of the plural to mean ‘more than one’.

Alex Dunne, Rodin Motorsport, Victor Martins, ART Grand Prix at the start

Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd

“It’s on our agenda,” he said. “We’ve discussed it before, but in the coming months we’ll need the courage to push the discussion again because I’ve heard several drivers propose it. At first everyone was against it, but at the last meeting many of them said, ‘Why don’t we try?’

“I don’t think there’s a single right or wrong stance here – every opinion has value. We’ll evaluate it with the FIA and interpret an evolving trend as best as possible, that’s for sure.” 

One wonders what else may be on the table. Deciding grid positions by drawing lots? Don’t rule it out.

The British Touring Car Championship adopted a similar system in the mid-2010s, in which a reversed grid for the last race of the weekend was determined by drawing numbered balls out of a pot. It did not take long for a driver to cheat, resulting in Rob Austin having to apologise on live TV at Brands Hatch in 2015, after admitting to sneaking a peek in the pot before drawing the number 10, which gave him pole position.