Max Verstappen explained why he is not a fan of the F1 Sprint race ahead of its return for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The shortened race – which takes place on a Saturday and decides the grid for Sunday’s main event – has been held over three weekends in both 2021 and 2022, with that number set to increase to six in 2023.
Brazil’s Sprint will be the final one of the current season, but the event is not one that Verstappen looks forward to.
“I don’t like it,” Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.comwhen asked for his thoughts on the increased amount of Sprint races in 2023.
“For me, the weekend format [isn’t one that] I enjoy. I don’t mind the one practice and going straight into qualifying – I think it probably is even better for me.
“But there’s no feeling [in the Sprint races]. All the time when I do these races it’s all about, ‘Let’s not have damage, make sure that you stay in the top three’.
“And for me, that’s not really a race, because [then] you go into the main race. There are way more points available there anyway, and you just risk a bit more there anyway.
“You do another start, probably that’s a bit of excitement. It’s only people who are really out of position [that] will move forward, because normally you put the tire on, which just lasts the whole Sprint anyway, [go] the race distance and not much happens.”
Verstappen: We should just stick to one race
Verstappen would prefer for Formula 1 weekends to maintain the traditional format of featuring one race only.
“I think we should just stick to one race,” the Red Bull driver said.
“I don’t understand what the problem is with that, because I think we’ve had so many exciting races, so you don’t need to add one third of the race distance.
“Everyone is super careful anyway, because if you are fighting for third and you have a little touch and you drop back to be last, then your race on Sunday is going to be really tough.
“So [that means you’re] probably not going to risk it, and that’s not what a race should be about.”
More Sprint races for F1 2023
In terms of the increase in Sprint races in 2023, Verstappen admits that he is not particularly excited about the prospect, but will still do all he can to win each event.
“[It’s] just a little bit less exciting, but we’ll still try to win it, of course,” the Dutchman added.
Verstappen’s record in the Sprint has been so far strong; he won both previous events in 2022 at Imola and the Red Bull Ring.
The World Champion was also victorious in the first-ever Sprint race over the 2021 British Grand Prix weekend.
