F1 SPRINT RACE — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

FORMULA ONE introduces the new Sprint Race qualifying format at the British Grand Prix this weekend, and here is how it works.

THE FORMAT

The weekend begins like any other with Free Practice one on Friday afternoon but after that things begin to look a little different.

After the first practice session teams get their cars dressed up for qualifying, which follows the traditional format, and the results set the grid for the Sprint Race.

The teams are given a second chance to fine-tune their cars in the Free Practice two session before they embark on their journey into the unknown.

The Sprint Race will make its debut at Silverstone and the results from the 100km race, with pitstops not allowed, will determine the grid for the main race.

Grid position for Sunday will not be the only thing up for grab in the 17-lap dash around the 5.891km-long track. After the expected 25-30min spectacle is completed, the top three drivers will receive World Championship points — three to the winner, two to second, and one for third.

There will not be a podium ceremony, as that honour will be reserved for the main race, but there will be a post-sprint presentation for the top drivers.

Sunday will see things return to normality with the main race that will be scheduled for 52 laps.

FRIDAY

Free Practice 1 — 60min session

Qualifying — Q1, Q2 and Q3 session that set the Grid for the Sprint Race

SATURDAY

Free Practice 2 — 60min session

Sprint Race — 100km race and the results set the Grid for the Main Race.

SUNDAY

Main Race — Full race distance

THE CHANGES KEEP COMING

The format is not the only new thing the teams and fans will have to come to grips with as there will be a few alterations to the regulations to facilitate the new conditions the cars will be exposed to.

TYRES

Because the weekend is one session shorter than usual, teams will only get 12 sets of tyres (down one from 13) at Silverstone.

For the practice session, teams will be allocated three sets of tyres, two for FP1 and one for FP2

The qualifying session will see the teams only allowed to run soft tyres, leaving them free to start Sunday’s main race on the compound of their choice. They will be allocated five sets of softs for the three qualifying sessions and two sets of their choice for the main race.

If it is wet in FP1 or qualifying, the teams will be given an additional set of intermediate tyres, which must be returned before the Sprint Race. If the Sprint Race is wet, the team will be able to return a set of used inters for a set of new ones.

PARC FERME

The cars will be placed into Parc Ferme after FP1 and will be released back to the teams before FP2 before again being quarantined after the Sprint Race.

Under normal conditions, Parc Ferme restricts teams from making changes to major components to create a special ‘qualifying car’ while also limiting the number of hours it will take to prepare cars for the next day.

However, during the Sprint Race weekends, there will be some wiggle room.

Ahead of the main race, teams will be able to make changes to brake friction material to an identical new set used in qualifying and the Sprint Race, for safety reasons, and will be allowed to change the brake ducts too.

Alterations to the power unit and gearbox cooling will be permitted should ambient temperature fluctuate significantly while weight distributions may also be altered.

Between qualifying and the Sprint Race, teams will be able to adjust springs and dampers and alter the camber, toe or ride height of certain suspension elements.

Provisions for using different spec front wing due to damage have also been made where normally such a change would have incurred a penalty.

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

F1 plans to roll out two more Sprint Races this season at Monza and a yet to be determined track but as far as this format becoming the norm, that is unlikely to happen.

If deemed successful, this type of weekend will be carefully mapped out, offering F1 fans an exciting alternative to the format that they are accustomed to, with the bosses hoping it will have the same effect on F1 as T20 has had on cricket.