F1 Sprint Format
F1 Sprint format adjustments for the 6 events that will be staged across the 2023 season. Fridays include an FP1 session and standard qualifying. Saturdays will become full F1 Sprint races with Sprint Shootout (Sprint Qualify) and Sprint Race.
However, tweaks for the 2023 season mean F1 Sprint will effectively become a standalone feature of race weekends when the format is used – with the outcome bearing no impact on the grid for the Grand Prix itself.
F1 Sprint made its debut back in 2021, with the original format seeing qualifying shifted to Friday and setting the grid for a new 100-kilometre dash on Saturday, which in turn determined the starting order for the main event on Sunday.
Points for the F1 Sprint race remain the same, with 8 handed out to the winner, 7 to second place, 6 to third, and so on down to 1 in eighth.
F1 Sprint race venues and dates for the 2023 season include:
- Azerbaijan (Baku City Circuit) April 28 – 30
- Austria (Red Bull Ring) June 30 – July 2
- Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) July 28 – 30
- Qatar (Lusail Circuit) October 06 – 08
- United States (Circuit of The Americas) October 20 – 22
- Sao Paulo (Interlagos) November 3 – 5
F1 Sprint Format for the Weekend
Fridays will now include an FP1 session and standard qualifying session to set the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Saturdays will include the continuing 100km race with an additional, preceding qualifying session called the ‘Sprint Shootout’ that replaces the previous FP2 seen on the Saturday morning of Sprint weekends.
Sprit Shootout will be a shorter session than traditional qualifying
- SQ1 set to run for 12 minutes (mediums tyre)
- SQ2 for 10 minutes (mediums tyre)
- SQ3 for 8 minutes (softs tyre)
Given that the F1 Sprint is now contained within the race weekend, and any incidents will not compromise starting positions for the Grand Prix, drivers should have more incentive to push across the 100km race, which usually lasts around half an hour.
Penalty
The process for applying penalties at F1 Sprint events has been set out as follows:
- Any grid penalties incurred in first practice or qualifying will apply to the race.
- Any grid penalties incurred in the Sprint Shootout will apply to the Sprint.
- Any grid penalties incurred in the Sprint will apply to the race.
In addition, a breach of parc feme will result in a pit lane start for the Sprint and race, while power unit-related penalties will only apply to the race, unless they are also a parc ferme breach.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s F1 Commission meeting – which confirmed the Sprint changes – featured discussions around power unit usage, with approval given to increase the number of the internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger, MGU-H, and MGU-K elements for 2023 only from three to four.
Elsewhere, the updated definition of ‘working on a car’ while serving a pit stop penalty, which was recently issued in a Sporting Directive, will now be included within the Sporting Regulations.
Finally, it was agreed that certain ‘Sustainability Initiative Costs’ will be excluded from the cost cap, covering factors such as costs associated with installing sustainable infrastructure, auditing and monitoring of competitors’ carbon footprint, donations to charities engaged in the promotion of environmental sustainability projects and carbon offset programs.
References: Formula 1 confirms F1 Sprint format tweaks for 2023 season and Formula 1 announces venues for six F1 Sprint events across 2023 season
