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

Method 1 weekend codecs are more likely to endure radical adjustments because the class adapts to cater for youthful audiences and shorter consideration spans, in response to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Packing the calendar with extra dash occasions, adjusting the format of those races, and shortening the grands prix themselves have already been mentioned with stakeholders together with the drivers themselves. Domenicali claims a majority is now in favour of such measures.

As to followers, the message is basically ‘it is occurring whether or not you prefer it or not, get used to it'.
 
The adjustments are coming not simply to consolidate the TV viewers, but additionally to allow race promoters to supply a package deal which can encourage ticket gross sales over the entire weekend.

For the time being, non-sprint weekends have two one-hour F1 observe classes on a Friday, and the sensation is that merely having vehicles tootling round on monitor with no underlying narrative is insufficiently interesting.

“There's a subject on the desk in regards to the format we'll use within the coming years, beginning with dash weekends,” Domenicali instructed choose media together with Autosport.

“We have to perceive whether or not to extend them, find out how to improve them, and whether or not to make use of completely different codecs. We've a number of discussions to have with the groups to resolve the path.

“I've to say that other than some older die-hard followers, everybody desires dash weekends. Promoters push for this format and now the drivers have an interest as properly.

“I'm being a bit provocative, however free observe appeals to super-specialists; individuals who need to see extra motion want a dash weekend. There's extra to debate and touch upon from Friday – there's a qualifying session – however I perceive it has to develop into a part of F1 tradition.

“The path is obvious: I can assure that in a number of years there might be demand to have all weekends with the identical format. I'm not saying we'll get to MotoGP, which has a dash at each spherical – that's too huge a step. I see it extra as a maturation course of that respects a extra traditionalist strategy.

“As for the drivers, initially 18 had been towards the dash and two in favour – right this moment it's the alternative. We mentioned it on the dinner we organised in Austria and everybody spoke in favour. Even Max, with whom I spoke one-on-one, is beginning to say it is sensible, so I see evolution from everybody. Ultimately, drivers are born to race.”

If true, this is able to be a big reversal. Verstappen has been among the many most volubly important of the dash format, which was launched in 2021.

Beneath the preliminary format, a qualifying session on Friday set the grid for Saturday's dash, the results of which decided the grid for Sunday's grand prix.

In observe, although, the dash primarily rearranged the sector in tempo order, arguably detracting from slightly than bettering the spectacle on Sunday; and the factors on provide, awarded to simply the highest three finishers, had been thought-about poor reward for the attendant dangers.

The debugging course of required two additional iterations earlier than arriving at this time format. However many drivers, together with Verstappen, have remained loudly destructive; that dinner in Austria will need to have been convivial certainly.

Domenicali's argument is that simulation expertise is sufficiently superior for groups to go with out two hours of observe on a Friday. Set off warning for delicate readers: sure, he after all talked up the chances of utilizing artificial-intelligence instruments with out being any extra particular.

However the temper music is that the general public will get what the general public desires – or what F1, the race promoters and the broadcasters suppose they need. And that's extra racing, much less opaque and seemingly inconsequential lappery.

“Promoters and followers need motion,” mentioned Domenicali. “And now that they've began to grasp it's potential: our surveys present the overwhelming majority of the viewers desires the drivers to battle for a end result.

“To place it bluntly, they're bored with free observe. That's an goal reality we will't ignore.” 

Shorter grands prix are additionally on the agenda. This will even trigger traditionalists to chafe, though after all from the start of the world championship 75 years in the past to the top of 1957, GPs had been usually as much as three hours lengthy.

To a contemporary TV viewers the 1956 Belgian Grand Prix, to select a random instance, may need induced curiosity to sag. After two hours and 40 minutes simply eight vehicles had been working at Spa, then over 14km lengthy; victorious Peter Collins crossed the road practically two minutes forward of second-placed Paul Frere, and everybody beneath the rostrum positions was a minimum of a lap down.

However even present races “could also be a bit too lengthy for youthful audiences” says Domenicali.

“We're seeing on a lot of our channels that highlights do very properly. For these of us who grew up with the present format, every thing is ok as is, however there's a big phase that solely desires to see the important thing moments.

“Issues are going very properly right this moment, however exactly for that purpose we should not relaxation on our laurels. We'd like to consider the following step.” 

Ghastly as this will appear for traditionalists, worse is within the offing because the reviled
reverse-grid idea can also be being mooted. Domenicali justified bringing this concept again to the desk on the grounds that “in F2 and F3 this format has been round for many years”, on this case very a lot stretching the definition of the plural to imply ‘a couple of'.

“It's on our agenda,” he mentioned. “We've mentioned it earlier than, however within the coming months we'll want the braveness to push the dialogue once more as a result of I've heard a number of drivers suggest it. At first everybody was towards it, however on the final assembly a lot of them mentioned, ‘Why don't we strive?'

“I don't suppose there's a single proper or unsuitable stance right here – each opinion has worth. We'll consider it with the FIA and interpret an evolving pattern as greatest as potential, that's for positive.” 

One wonders what else could also be on the desk. Deciding grid positions by drawing heaps? Don't rule it out.

The British Touring Automotive Championship adopted an analogous system within the mid-2010s, during which a reversed grid for the final race of the weekend was decided by drawing numbered balls out of a pot. It didn't take lengthy for a driver to cheat, leading to Rob Austin having to apologise on stay TV at Manufacturers Hatch in 2015, after admitting to sneaking a peek within the pot earlier than drawing the quantity 10, which gave him pole place.