Formula 1 will have six qualifying sprint races in 2023, up from three this year, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and F1 promoter Formula One announced on Tuesday.
“Six sprints will form part of the championship from 2023 due to the success of this new format introduced for the first time in 2021,” said F1 president Stefano Domenicali, quoted in a joint statement from the FIA and Formula One.
For two seasons, the objective of these races has been to offer a spectacle on the three days of the grand prix: time trial on Friday, which defines the order of a 100-kilometre race on Saturday, in which the starting grid of the traditional race will be defined on Sunday.
Tested three times in 2021 and a further three in 2022, the new format for Saturday’s sprint race has been renewed for six races in 2023.
The dates and places where they will be held have not been communicated.
“Sprints bring an exciting dynamic to the race weekend format,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, also quoted in the statement.
F1 already wanted to double the number of sprint races in 2022, but the FIA preferred to defend a “reasonable number due to the (economic) pressures exerted on the teams for this season, with the introduction of major changes in the regulations”, so that finally it was decided to continue with three.
After Emilia-Romagna (April 24) and Austria (July 10), the last qualifying sprint race of the season will take place in Brazil on the weekend of November 13.
This month Formula 1 published the race calendar for 2023, which will have a record number of 24, including Monaco, which was at risk of disappearing.
