Formula 1 could be in danger after Max Verstappen said that he wouldn’t be in the sport for long if Stefano Domenicali makes certain changes to the F1 weekend.
Stefano Domenicali is the current CEO of F1. As a CEO, his priority will be revenue and entertainment value. This may not be in the favor of all drivers including Max Verstappen. What changes is Domenicali proposing and how will they affect the sport?
What is the current weekend format for Formula 1?
The current F1 weekend format includes 3 practice sessions, out of which, 2 will take place on Friday and 1 will take place on Saturday. After this, there will be a qualifying session which will decide the order of the grid for Sunday’s race.
In 2021, the FIA introduced the Sprint Races during the F1 weekend. During these weekends, there will be only 2 practice sessions, one each on Friday and Saturday. Qualifying will take place on Friday after the 1st practice session. The qualifying will determine the grid for the Sprint race which will take place on Saturday after the 2nd practices session. The finishing position of the Sprint Race will be the starting grid for the race on Sunday.
This format was introduced to make Formula 1 weekend more entertaining for the fans. Obviously, there are not many fans that are interested in watching practice sessions.
What are practice sessions and why are they important?
Practice session happens 3 times during a regular weekend and 2 times during sprint weekends. Each practice session lasts for 1 hour.
The practice session makes the team go out and test the car on the circuit. Each F1 circuit is different from the others. Each driver will have their own unique car setup for each track. The sessions allow the driver to test out their setups and make changes if necessary. Practice session also allows the driver to get familiar with the track.
What is the change that Domenicali is planning for Formula 1 weekends?
Before the Australian Grand Prix last weekend, Domenicali stated that he was a “supporter of the cancellation of the free practice sessions”. This sparked a lot of mixed reactions within the paddock.
Stefano Domenicali wants to have a more action-packed race weekend as it would be more entertaining for the fans. Although this seems like a good reason, a lot of fans and a few drivers have different opinions.
If Stefano Domenicali were to have his way, this is what the potential weekend could look like:
Friday AM – Free Practice
Friday PM – Qualifying for Sunday’s Race
Saturday AM – One-lap Qualifying for Sprint Race
Saturday PM – Sprint Race
Sunday PM – Main Race
Stefano Domenicali wants to have a more action-packed race weekend as it would be more entertaining for the fans. Although this seems like a good reason and it could be entertaining for viewers, a lot of fans and a few drivers have different opinions.
Paddock Reaction
Max Verstappen has come out and said that he “won’t be around for too long” If these changes were to happen. He believes that the weekend could become very stressful for the drivers as they have already increased the number of races this season.
🗣️ “I don’t scrap practice” @karunchandhok has his say 🧠 pic.twitter.com/sunq9vOXhA
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 30, 2023
Mercedes’ George Russell said, “I don’t think it’s right that Formula 1 has three times the amount of practice that you have in F3 and F2,”. however, he also mentioned that he doesn’t want all practice sessions to be taken out of the format. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton said he thought the potential changes could be “cool”, but wouldn’t recommend it for all circuits.
Martin Brundle, the former F1 Driver, has come out and said “I don’t know why we are already messing around with the sprint concept if I am honest. I don’t see why it needs to be standalone. The teams and the drivers love certainty. Then the fans want to sit down and watch uncertainty, which they certainly had in Melbourne. The whole purpose of the Sprint race, and it has worked on a number of occasions already, was to maybe just spice up the actual race day grid a little bit.”
He also said that he doesn’t believe that Max Verstappen would actually leave F1 if this were to happen as there are lots of other drivers who would do anything to have his seat.