Source: REUTERS/Lucas Peltier
[Saba Sports News] In a recent interview with the
media, current Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen expressed his strong
criticism of the sprint race format and the addition of six additional sprint
races in 2024. Verstappen believes that the sprint races will make the schedule
more hectic and do not bring any benefits to the drivers. He particularly
questioned the purpose of the new sprint qualifying format, stating that it
does not offer any advantages. Verstappen also expressed his opinion that the
current F1 schedule is too dense and complicated, advocating for fewer but
higher-quality races. It is worth noting that the upcoming 2024 F1 season will
feature sprint races in China, Austria, Austin, Brazil, Miami, and Qatar.
Sprint races were introduced to F1 in the 2021 season as a new element, with
the results of the initial sprint race affecting the starting order for the
main race. However, since the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the sprint race only
awards points for rankings and no longer affects the starting order of the
race.