Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali is enthusiastic about the prospect of more sprint races on the Formula 1 calendar. Unlike many drivers, including Max Verstappen, Domenicali is keen to increase the number of short races. “Why not?” he asks.
This season, six sprint races are scheduled. The first sprint race took place last weekend in China, with the second set for a week and a half from now in Miami. The sprint races have been met with mixed feelings by drivers and fans alike. While the additional race sessions generally spark interest compared to free practice sessions, they also put more strain on team personnel. Many drivers in China voiced their criticism of this. Max Verstappen expressed that the calendar is already full enough in his opinion.
Contrary to Verstappen and other drivers, Domenicali is very positive. “We have a duty to ensure that there is some action on the track every day to entertain the fans,” Domenicali told Sky Sports F1.
‘Great, tension every day’
When asked if this could mean more sprints in the future, he replied: “Why not? Why not? I would say this is great because it keeps the tension every day and this is something that will be discussed in the future. Now we wait and see how the sprint races go this year. But that is certainly a point of discussion that I want to discuss in the next F1 commission,” said the Italian CEO of Formula 1.
