The entire race weekend schedule has been changed to accommodate the new format, which will be the first test used at three Grand Prix races this season, the first being held at the British GP in July.
Valtteri Bottas secured the top spot in qualifying for the sprint race ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton. F1 world champion Max Verstappen finished third after narrowly beating the two McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.
However, Bottas will start at the end of the grid at the Italian GP on Sunday, regardless of where he ends up in the sprint race on Saturday, due to a drive change that was confirmed in the middle of qualifying.
Pierre Gasly impressed again for AlphaTauri in sixth place, qualifying ahead of both Ferraris when Carlos Sainz Jr. ousted teammate Charles Leclerc while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was only ninth when Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi rounded out the top 10 .
Both Aston Martin and Alpine were fined 5,000 euros each for an incident in the pit lane in Q2 of the Italian GP qualifying.
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR21
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
What is the F1 Sprint Race?
The F1 sprint race is essentially a shortened version of a normal race that runs over a shorter 100km distance and without mandatory pit stops compared to the usual 305km Grand Prix distance of F1 (with the exception of the Monaco GP). Here is a full explanation of how the F1 Sprint Qualifying Race will play out.
Sprint races are used in many other series to spice up the action, including the F1 feeder series Formula 2, albeit with its own variants. In the F2, for example, the sprint race is 120km and the main race is 170km, although it’s usually no less exciting.
The very first F1 sprint race, held at Silverstone, was won by Red Bulls Verstappen ahead of Mercedes Hamilton. The Dutchman overtook his World Championship rival on the first lap before defending his position to take official pole position for the Grand Prix and three World Championship points for winning the sprint after Hamilton moved from pole position for the Sprint race had started. Hamilton scored two points for second place in the sprint, while teammate Bottas scored one point for third place.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, passes his pit board
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The F1 sprint event on Saturday afternoon will be a simple 100 km race that includes up to 18 laps in Monza, with the finish order determining the final grid for the Grand Prix on Sunday. The race is expected to last around 30 minutes, after a total of 60 minutes “timeout” and if the session is canceled with a red flag, the maximum total time of the session is 90 minutes.
The starting order for the sprint event was determined in qualifying, which was held in the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 format on Friday evening. The only big change will be that riders will only use soft tires during the session.
In addition, there will be two training sessions at the Italian GP, one before qualifying on Friday and one on Saturday before the sprint race later in the afternoon.
The drivers also have a free choice of tires for the sprint race, with Pirelli offering soft, medium and hard tires (in Monza these are the middle three options in the range: C2, C3 and C4) as well as intermediate and rainy weather tires if required.
When does the sprint race at the Italian GP start?
The sprint race for the Italian GP begins on Saturday, September 11 at 4:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. BST) and is expected to last 30 minutes.
Date: Saturday September 11th 2021
Start time: 4:30 p.m. local time – 3:30 p.m. BST
How many laps will the sprint race at the Italian GP last?
18 laps – Monza
With the F1 sprint qualifying races covering 100 km, there are 18 laps on the 5.793 km long Monza Grand Prix circuit.
Are points awarded for the sprint races?
F1 World Championship points are also awarded in the F1 sprint race. The winner receives three points, the second placed receives two points and the third placed one point. There is no bonus point for the fastest lap.
In the main event on Sunday at the Italian GP, the regular points system for both the Drivers ‘and Constructors’ World Championships will remain in place, including the fastest lap bonus point for a driver who finishes in the top 10.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M and Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
How can I watch the Italian GP Sprint Qualifier?
In the UK, every F1 practice, qualifying and race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with coverage of the Italian GP sprint race starting at 2:35 p.m. CEST.
• Channel: Sky Sports F1
• Start time: 2:35 p.m. BST
Autosport will also broadcast live text coverage of the Italian GP sprint race.
When can I see the highlights of the Italian GP sprint race?
In the UK, Channel 4 will broadcast the highlights of the Italian GP sprint race on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. BST. The full program lasts 90 minutes and includes qualifying, the sprint race as well as the most important topics of conversation from the race weekend so far.
• Channel: Channel 4
• STart time: 6:30 p.m. BST
Will the Italian GP sprint race be broadcast on the radio?
Live radio broadcasts of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2021 F1 season will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra or via the BBC Sport website.
Coverage of the Italian GP sprint race begins at 3:30 p.m. BST on the BBC Sport website.
What is the weather forecast for the Italian GP sprint race?
For Saturday afternoon, sunny conditions with a very low probability of rain are forecast in Monza. At the start of the sprint race, temperatures should be around 27 degrees Celsius.
