BAKU, Azerbaijan — Max Verstappen has called on Formula One to scrap sprint races after Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw a revised format tried for the first time.
Sprint races were introduced during the 2021 season as a way of adding another competitive session between qualifying and the grand prix.
Under the initial set of rules, the starting order for Saturday’s sprint was decided by Friday’s qualifying and the finishing order of the sprint, which is a third of the length for a full race, then determined the grid for the grand prix.
In 2022 a minor change was made as points were extended from the top three finishers to the top eight, but this year the sprint has been overhauled with the 100km race no longer setting the grid for the grand prix, which is instead decided by Friday qualifying.
The sprint race now sits as a completely separate race on the Saturday with its own qualifying session also taking place earlier in the day to set the grid.
Verstappen has been a vocal opponent of the sprint format since its introduction in 2021, and after Saturday’s race said the sport needs to abandon the concept and go back to F1’s traditional format of practice sessions on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and race on Sunday.
“Just scrap the whole thing,” he responded when asked if there were any changes that could make it better. “I think it’s just important to go back to what we had and make sure every team can fight for the win.
“That’s what we have to try and aim for and implement all these kinds of artificial excitement, I would say. I got bored through today’s qualifying, to be honest.
“I like to have one particular qualifying where you put everything in it, and that was yesterday, which I of course enjoyed, then you have to do it again today and I’m like ‘my god, another qualifying?’ I just don’t really enjoy that.”
Verstappen said the sprint format adds a random element, which he believes devalues the racing.
“I think it’s not proper racing, more gambling, I think I’ll have more success in Vegas if I go to the casino,” he said. “I like racing, I’m a pure racer and I think this is more for the show and of course it is important to have entertainment, but I think if all the cars are closer you create anyway better entertainment than trying to do it like this.
“It feels like you have a football match it’s 3-0 for one team and then suddenly you just say let’s reset it to 0-0 and go again. I find it a bit unnecessary these kinds of things.”