Drivers who “push for a whole race” benefit from an F1 sprint

F1 agreed to test three 100km sprint races earlier this week to determine the final grid. The first will take place in July at the British Grand Prix.

While teams are still getting to grips with the strategic implications of changing the weekend format, Ferrari’s Leclerc believes the new format will feel fresh from a driver’s perspective.

In addition to changing the qualification approach with a single training session in advance, there will also be a new mindset with races as drivers don’t have to manage their tires as heavily.

“Usually we have a very clear plan all weekend with FP1, FP2, FP3, but now we only have one FP1 and then straight to qualifying,” he said.

“Personally, I like that because there is less time to study before high school, so you may make a bigger difference than you [now].

“For the sprint race, it’s very difficult to say. I think a good thing about sprint races is that we can finally push these cars for a whole race, 100 kilometers, at the maximum. That could be nice for us drivers.

“But then we have to see if this is a good thing for the show or not, which is most important in the end. And then the Sunday race must remain the most important event of the weekend. “

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF21, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

F1 drivers have generally supported the idea of ​​sprint racing.

World Champion Lewis Hamilton said: “I will say that I have always said that in certain races during the race we have to have a different format on some tracks. In places like Monaco, for example, where it’s nice to be, but it’s not necessarily an exciting race.

“I like that they were open-minded and made changes and I think that from these experimental weekends I hope the sport will learn a lot and how we can move certain races forward.”

But Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has suggested that the sprint race format change could have a motive other than just trying to spice up the show.

Speaking to Sky F1, he said, “Obviously it’s decided, so let’s try. The reasons … there are probably two ways to explain it. The official one, if it should be more exciting.

“I hope it is and if it turns out to be more exciting and people like it we may have to reset and adjust.

“If you don’t like it and we don’t like it, we’ll go back. I’m generally against creating a mess on purpose or you might [as well] Roll the dice, but we’ll see. hopeful [we] Bring the cars closer and closer so we don’t have to think about these things anymore. “

Additional coverage from Adam Cooper