Azerbaijan GP: Max Verstappen maintains criticism of Sprint weekends as drivers prepare for new format

Valtteri Bottas (L), Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton (R) spoke about F1’s new Sprint format

Ahead of the debut of Formula 1’s new Sprint weekend format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the drivers have had their say on the changes that were finally passed earlier this week.

The F1 Commission and World Motor Sport Council voted on Tuesday to make significant changes to the Sprint format that had been in place since its introduction to the sport in 2021.

An additional qualifying, to be known as the Sprint Showdown, has been added on Saturday morning in place of a second practice session that had been criticised for being pointless.

With Friday’s qualifying session setting the grid for Sunday’s race, Saturday’s action now represents a standalone double of the Sprint Shootout followed by the 100km race.

The changes, which leave just one practice session, are intended to ensure entertainment through the weekend, while also encouraging drivers to take more risks on Saturday due to its lack of direct impact on Sunday’s race.

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With the new changes to the F1 Sprint weekends, Craig Slater explains why Sprint is crucial in deciding a Drivers Championship

Azerbaijan is hosting the first of six Sprint weekends this season, which is double the amount that were held in 2022.

Drivers have largely backed the changes, but reigning world champion Max Verstappen has remained an outspoken figure on the topic, having previously suggested he will consider quitting the sport if the rules continue to be changed.

After the drivers were quizzed on the topic by the media on Thursday, Sky Sports F1 have picked out the most interesting answers.

‘Pure racer’ Verstappen predicts ‘chaotic’ weekend

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen: “Everyone I think knows my opinion about it but I think just looking at the weekend, it will be a bit more chaotic, to get everything right.

“Maybe some people who are outside the points and they try to get a point (will really go for it). I think once you’re out front, it’s like 8, 7, 6 (points), it’s not making a massive difference and the risk involved of potentially having a shunt. I don’t really see it being a lot different than what it was in the previous sprint weekends.

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Max Verstappen admits he is not a big fan of the Sprint format and is not convinced that the new format will have a significant impact

“I think there will be a little bit more chaos around because of the extra qualifying. This track anyway is normally quite chaotic, so this will only make it a little bit more chaotic. From my side I don’t think it will actually change a lot, if you’re first, second, third you’re quite happy in that position and just get the points and get it over with and focus on the race.

“I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but sometimes, of course, what I think is right some people don’t agree with, but I just think as a pure racer, what is right. When you’re running a business, it’s sometimes different what is right. I guess it’s just a difference in opinion.”

Alonso: Stressful but we must embrace it

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso: “When I was out of the sport those two years, I was not watching the practice. They were too long and boring. So I see the point of making something different on the weekend.

“We have to embrace that and help F1 and hopefully the fans will give us a good feedback. But it is more stressful, especially the Saturday. Friday, we are used to this new format where we only have one practice.

Fernando Alonso says the new format will be ‘stressful’ for drivers

“But the really different thing now is Saturday. Even in the past, doing one qualifying on Friday and Saturday, like in 2004 or 2006 or whenever, we always had practice before qualifying.

“Now, we have breakfast, we go in the car, we tighten the belts and we are in Q1. This is completely new. It is stressful, for sure, and more difficult for the drivers.”

Sainz planning ‘cold shower’

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz: “(Saturday) will be difficult, especially waking up in the morning and going straight into Q1. That will be like… I need to do a good warm up, maybe a cold shower, make sure I’m really woken up for pushing flat-out in one of these cars, bumpy cars on the straight first thing in the morning.

“I’ll make sure I do my morning routine well because it will be intense. And then the Sprint – exciting, I think. More racing, more important laps in the weekend, obviously tougher, both mentally and physically for us – but if it makes the fans happy and the media happy and makes the product better, we will do it.”

Hamilton: What a track to do it at

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton: “I think it is going to be tough for everybody but we’re all in the same boat. And you know, what a track to be able to do it at, where overtaking is possible. It’s great racing here. We always have mostly the best races here. It’s definitely difficult to just have one session where you probably get, like, 20 laps, and then straightaway, you’re into Qualifying. But, that’s what we’re here to do, right?

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Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok takes a look at the Baku City Circuit ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Norris: Not every weekend

McLaren’s Lando Norris: “I think the revised structure for it, I prefer. I don’t want to have a Sprint race every single weekend. I think it’s still important to have what we’ve had for many years. I think that’s what makes Formula 1 exciting and cool.

“I love just having the Saturday Quali and the Sunday race. But I think every now and then having the Sprint races is good for the fans, good for the people watching. I think it’s exciting to change things every now and a little bit for us. But a better structure of doing that. I think having it separate to Sunday, kind of having Saturday on its own, is a good thing. So yeah, I’m excited, I think it should make for a better weekend altogether.”

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On the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Simon Lazenby examines the pros and cons of the Sprint race weekends

Bottas expects excitement late in Sprints

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas: “If I would be on the last laps in ninth position, which is just outside of the points in the sprint, then definitely you go for it. Obviously, if you break your car or something, then that could have consequences for Sunday. But then on another case, there’s not a huge difference, but I think a welcome one. So at least you know that you can try and if you’re just on the edge of the points. And if you’re like 15th or something, you still go for it, it’s the nature of us. You don’t give up and in this sport you never know what happens so you go ’till the end.

Albon: Less practice creates opportunity

Williams’ Alex Albon: “Yeah, especially for midfield teams there’s a bit more going on. And I think on Friday, there’s maybe some teams that won’t get it perfect and that’s good for us. I think it creates opportunity for some others to get on the pace early and I think we welcome that. It’s a good change from the original Sprint race format, where obviously it would sometimes filter out the differences in qualifying. This is a good way to do it.”

The Formula 1 season resumes with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from April 28-30, with the first Sprint weekend of 2023 shown in full live on Sky Sports F1. Watch Saturday’s Sprint at 2:30pm and Sunday’s race at 12pm. Get Sky Sports