Verstappen quit threat over extra sprints
MAX VERSTAPPEN has threatened to turn his back on Formula One if the sport’s bosses press ahead with plans to expand the number of sprint events.
The shortened-race format was introduced for three rounds in 2021 and has been doubled to six this year, with the first of the season taking place in Azerbaijan at the end of this month.
In its current guise, Friday qualifying determines the grid for Saturday’s dash to the line. The result of the sprint then establishes the order for Sunday’s longer Grand Prix distance.
But Saturday’s schedule could now see an additional qualifying session to set the grid for the sprint, meaning Friday’s qualifying result will decide the starting order for Sunday’s main event.
The change could even be introduced at the next round in Baku, with an informal meeting of major players set to take place in Melbourne, scene of today’s Australian Grand Prix.
But Verstappen said: “I hope there won’t be too many changes, otherwise
I won’t be around for too long.
“I am not a fan of it at all. When we do all that kind of stuff, the weekend becomes very intense and we already do a lot of races. But it is not the right way to go about it.
“I understand they want to make every day at the track exciting but they should reduce the weekend, only race on Saturday and Sunday and make those two days exciting.
“We are heading into seasons where we could have 24 or 25 races and if you then start adding more it is not worth it for me. I will not enjoy that.
“F1 is about getting the most out of it in qualifying and having an amazing Sunday over a long race distance. That is the DNA of the sport.
“How do you get even more action? Get the cars closer and have more teams fighting for the wins. The show would then be great if we had six or seven teams fighting for the win.
“That would be insane and then you wouldn’t need to change anything.”