46 replies to this topic

[zeph]

A few years ago somebody mentioned somewhere that sprint races should be a separate championship. I thought it was an intriguing idea, as I dislike the sprint races messing up the cleanliness of the regular championship points structure.

 

I would just call it the F1 Sprint Cup, and change a few of the rules. The points obtained would not count towards the regular championships (both WDC/WCC), instead they are tallied up separately to determine the Sprint Cup champion at the end of that mini-season.

 

I would also change qualifying for Sprint races to further differentiate it from the regular races and championship; ideally, just a single lap with standing start for every driver, but standing start may prove impractical so maybe a timed release from the pit, and everybody get one out lap, one Q lap and one in lap.

 

Or something like that, just really turn it into its own thing. Maybe even have the race be 30 minutes rather than a number of laps, and just finish the race on the lap that the leader is on at the 30m mark.

 

Crazy? Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

[MKSixer]

Sprint Cup but for aspiring F1 Drivers, not the current crop.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Just discontinue them.

 

Yay let’s have a ‘sprint champion’ which no one, certainly the drivers, will care about.

[KWSN - DSM]

Have sprint each race, results of sprint = Starting grid for Grand Prix.

[zeph]

Have sprint each race, results of sprint = Starting grid for Grand Prix.

Isn’t that how it started? I didn’t particularly like or hate that, but it needs to be consistent. Not qualifying for some races, and sprints for others.

[Anderis]

Have sprint each race, results of sprint = Starting grid for Grand Prix.

That's probably the worst option possible. We've had that. All it does is to allow drivers in fast cars who screwed up their qualifying to move up during the sprint and negate the poor qualifying, making the race less interesting and qualifying less interesting.

 

[KWSN - DSM]

The very reason sprint equal starting grid is that they start grid will be jumbled, not that it can be jumbled.

[AlexPrime]

Keep it as it is, but make a Sprint Cup as well.

[Myrvold]

Keep it as it is, but make a Sprint Cup as well.

Nextel Cup?

[KimiRaykkonen]

I get why they have it, to have more competitive sessions to give fans something else to watch, I agree and think it needs its own separate championship though

 

I do think f1 races tend to be more entertaining when usually due to weather, the teams don't get much practice and gives them less time to work out the ideal setups for their car, or races where we get a mixed up grid, and occasionally when the championship leading cars do get their set ups wrong it gives somebody lower down the chance to get a surprise victory / podium etc. I also think they should reduce the time in Q3 so drivers only get 1 attempt but that's a different topic

 

I would propose something like the following:

 

Friday

1x Free Practice session (1:30)

qualification session for Sunday Grand Prix (standard q1, q2, q3 etc)

 

[Sprint] Saturday:

Sprint qualifying - q1 drivers have 15 minute warm up, to set the order for q2 (in reverse, so slowest to fastest). then for q2 drivers to have 1 lap shootout, leaving the pitlane at 2 minute intervals, timing beam to start from end of sector 2, so the 'outlap' is first 2 sectors to prepare the car etc, then 'inlap' is final sector and straight into the pits as to not interfere with anybody else's laps

Sprint race (half distance of GP) with mandatory soft tires only and 1 mandatory pitstop to be taken between 40%-60% race distance (this is to stop people pitting on lap 1 to get clean air, or waiting until last lap Gambling on safety car)

 

Sunday

Standard length Grand Prix as normal

 

Sprint Saturday to have its own separate championship standings and no points would be awarded towards the Grand Prix totals

[JL14]

What would be the incentive for the drivers and teams to race?

There's nothing to gain, only to loose.

[ANF]

[Ruusperi]

Get rid of them. And while getting rid of things, trash Domenicali as well.

[Yoshi]

Get rid of them. And while getting rid of things, trash Domenicali as well.

+1

[garoidb]

That's probably the worst option possible. We've had that. All it does is to allow drivers in fast cars who screwed up their qualifying to move up during the sprint and negate the poor qualifying, making the race less interesting and qualifying less interesting.

 

It's kind of like stopping the race, having a night's sleep and then starting it again. 

[LolaB0860]

Kill it with fire

[zeph]

11 out of 18 voting to kill it. 

 

That seems pretty unequivocal.

[KWSN - DSM]

11 out of 18 voting to kill it. 

 

That seems pretty unequivocal.

 

Yet wrong.

 

[zeph]

lol, idk

 

I never really warmed up to sprint races, but I understand F1 wants to create more content, not less. So I figure since it's not going away, why not make it better? 

 

Turning it into a separate cup feels like the way to go, my OCD doesn't like the way it adds points to the championship. More practically, I think spinning it off actually opens up new storylines and opportunities for even more content, so no-brainer, methinks.

[KWSN - DSM]

No points, just - https://forums.autos...cup/?p=10889343

[PayasYouRace]

Noted “don’t know, don’t care”.

In fairness, what I do know is that I’m more likely to watch F1 sessions when they’re competitive. I rarely make an effort to watch free practice. I always make an effort to catch the sprint qualifying and race.

What I don’t care about is what meaning they carry. Separate championship? No points at all? Doesn’t really matter to me. I just like to watch a competitive session. And if you got rid of them entirely I’ll just get more time back on the weekend for other things.

[perky]

Kill it with fire

Nuclear would make sure, maybe even worth the fallout.

[Blackjack1967]

I don´t watch sprint races.

[zeph]

Hmm, "discontinue" is now at 23 out of 41 votes, with "separate cup' and "keep as is" now neck-to-neck at 9 votes each. 

 

This race is not yet over 

[MikeTekRacing]

Interesting idea. I did not like sprints in the original format and I am not super keen on them now - but I watch them as mini-GPs.

Initially they were a pre-read on how the race would unfold and I hated that - but teams learned to maximize the sprint - because of tyre wear and the rather longish stint it looks for a different compromise. You can't make a pitstop for obvious reasons so we get some interesting things....like Lewis dominating the China sprint and being nowhere in the race. 

 

The sprint cup would be cool - as it would give an incentive to treat it as a separated thing - and maybe some compromise now the sprint to not hurt their WDC. I'd view it like the Cup/League in the European Football thing. Nowhere close to the title, but still a good trophy to fight for

[zeph]

The sprint cup would be cool - as it would give an incentive to treat it as a separated thing - and maybe some compromise now the sprint to not hurt their WDC. I'd view it like the Cup/League in the European Football thing. Nowhere close to the title, but still a good trophy to fight for

 

Exactly. If we’re gonna stick with it, I think this would make sense.

[7MGTEsup]

For sprint races to be meaningful they need to be at each grand prix weekend. They just seem an oddity when they are only on a handful of weekends. Maybe go back to the result of the sprint race is the starting grid for the grand prix so they carry more weight.

[le chat noir]

The answer to this is scrap them.

The second answer is to have different drivers.
Preferably women.
Maybe two sprints so you have another for rookies. Women can be in both.

Separate championships and then an overarching team championship.

[RedRabbit]

It would fit into the championship better if all the Sprint weekends were at the end of the season, instead of sprinkled randomly throughout.

Final 6 GPs all worth extra points would extend any fight for the title too.

[7MGTEsup]

The answer to this is scrap them.

The second answer is to have different drivers.
Preferably women.
Maybe two sprints so you have another for rookies. Women can be in both.

Separate championships and then an overarching team championship.

 

The problem is with only 2 cars available if one of the lower tier drivers (or main drivers) has a big crash that's your main driver out of the grand prix. You would need to have spare cars available our you could end up with a few drivers missing from the grand prix if a Russel, Bottas Imola 2021 situation arises in a sprint race.

[le chat noir]

The problem is with only 2 cars available if one of the lower tier drivers (or main drivers) has a big crash that's your main driver out of the grand prix. You would need to have spare cars available our you could end up with a few drivers missing from the grand prix if a Russel, Bottas Imola 2021 situation arises in a sprint race.

That can happen now. Don’t bin it. It’s a team game etc.

But also, there’s a budget cap, let them bring more spare cars. Just spend more wisely elsewhere.

[Spillage]

No, get rid of them altogether. They add nothing to the weekend and unbalance the champiosnhip. 

[Spillage]

Sprint Cup but for aspiring F1 Drivers, not the current crop.

We could have shorter races for aspiring F1 drivers during the weekend. We could even have them compete in equal cars. We could perhaps call it 'Formula 2'...

[JimmyClark]

I voted to scrap sprints - I don't think they add anything to a weekend, and I actively avoid going to a race in person when they are on (I love the informality of Fridays on a traditional weekend).

 

However, I know we aren't going to get rid of them realistically, so this is my proposal (which I think I've posted before): -

- 6x sprint races, but each driver must stand down for a young/third/reserve driver for two of them (who also takes part in sprint qualifying and an FP session that weekend). 

- Sprint qualifying is single lap qualifying

- Keep sprint races separate from the main championship initially, but decide the championship order with the points 12-9-6-5-4-3-2-1. 

- Give the winner of the 'sprint championship' a cup, as mentioned here, maybe with a nice monetary prize pot or for a charity of their choice. 

- Once the sprint race championship is decided, then the top 10 in the final standings go into the main championship with the usual points - 25-18-15-etc. The last sprint race will preferably not be in the final 4 races of the season. 

 

I'd therefore make the sprint weekend calendar like thus:

Friday...

FP1 - 60 mins as per now with normal drivers

FP2 "Sprint Quali Warmup" - 30 mins (all drivers taking part in sprint)

Sprint Qualifying - 45 mins (single lap qualifying) 

 

Saturday

Sprint Race 

Grand prix qualifying 

 

Sunday

Grand Prix

 

This will ensure... 

- More difference for sprint races, with dfifferent drivers at times and the different qualifying. 

- Less effect on the main title race (currently a driver can score up to 48 points, but this keeps it to 25), but adding on the scores like a full race still gives meaning for top drivers to want to do well. The last sprint will be of particular interest. 

Edited by JimmyClark, 24 April 2025 - 09:26.

[Jops14]

Bin them off, I always miss the friday quali anyway, and if im honest find practice more interesting.

If they did something actually interesting for sprints, like 1 shot quali, reverse grids or 3rd drivers sure. But a **** “heres the first 20 laps of tomorrows race” does nothing for me, they are rarely interesting, especially as the dirty air now means without strategy its just 20 laps following each other

[Sterzo]

I'm beginning to prefer sprints to Grands Prix. The lights go out, and they race to the finish. No party tricks (stupid tyres and unnecessary pit stops and "strategy" guesswork), just pure racing.

 

Championships? They can add a little peripheral interest, but the racing is what matters.

[huggybear]

I actually quite like them. Not because of the sprint races themselves, which are almost entirely forgettable, but because the lack of practice data tends to make the races a bit less predictable.

 

I would like (it'll never happen) it if the sprint races replaced the reserve driver in season tests in old cars, and they got them to race the previous season's car in a sprint series, so they get up to speed, but also develop some racecraft as well. Logistically it would be a pain, but we'd see some actual racing because they won't be worried about binning it before qualifying.

[SB]

I prefer to cancel the sprint races altogether.

 

However if FIA / FOM want for income by held some events on Saturdays to attract more fans, attrac, then I suggest have races in 'alternative layout' of the tracks like Barhain 'Indy' , Silverstone national or Suzuka east instead of just reducing race distance of Sunday.

[PayasYouRace]

- Once the sprint race championship is decided, then the top 10 in the final standings go into the main championship with the usual points - 25-18-15-etc. The last sprint race will preferably not be in the final 4 races of the season.

That’s what I was doing in my fantasy championship last year.

If anyone is wondering I accidentally lost the spreadsheet with that on and didn’t feel like building it again, which is why it didn’t get finished.

[zeph]

I prefer to cancel the sprint races altogether.

 

However if FIA / FOM want for income by held some events on Saturdays to attract more fans, attrac, then I suggest have races in 'alternative layout' of the tracks like Barhain 'Indy' , Silverstone national or Suzuka east instead of just reducing race distance of Sunday.

 

Lol, or just for s—ts and giggles, have them race in the opposite direction of the track layout! They don’t need to pit anyway, so…

[zeph]

Over the last few days a silly thought has occurred to me, would it be interesting to spin off the F1 Sprint Cup into a spec series? 

 

Meaning, give all drivers the same car, not an F1 car obviously, but something close to, maybe a Dallara chassis with a Cosworth engine, and have them duke it out for 30 minutes.

 

 

It would level the playing field, possibly a different competitive picture emerges, and even if it's only eight races, the Cup would have a different value for the drivers than the regular competition.

[garoidb]

Over the last few days a silly thought has occurred to me, would it be interesting to spin off the F1 Sprint Cup into a spec series? 

 

Meaning, give all drivers the same car, not an F1 car obviously, but something close to, maybe a Dallara chassis with a Cosworth engine, and have them duke it out for 30 minutes.

 

 

It would level the playing field, possibly a different competitive picture emerges, and even if it's only eight races, the Cup would have a different value for the drivers than the regular competition.

 

 Like Procar from the late 1970s but for single seaters? 

 

BMW M1 Procar Championship - Wikipedia

Edited by garoidb, Yesterday, 06:22.

[Dalton007]

I like sprints because I will watch it as it's competitive. I'm less likely to watch practice sessions.

[zeph]

 Like Procar from the late 1970s but for single seaters? 

 

BMW M1 Procar Championship - Wikipedia

 

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

But it seems Procar had drivers from multiple disciplines, I would propose it only be drivers currently on the grid in F1. And yes, single seaters open wheel. Basically as close to F1 as possible, just have the same car for all drivers.

[MikeTekRacing]

i think, although interesting, that format would devalue the. main event - as it could devalue the WDC. Ah, you won, but in these identical cars you lost

[zeph]

i think, although interesting, that format would devalue the. main event - as it could devalue the WDC. Ah, you won, but in these identical cars you lost

 

 

Good point, hadn't considered that. But there are plenty of examples where drivers do well in one discipline, but not so much in another.

 

Conversely, it might affect the WCC positively in that sense. Underlines that in the end it's all about the car. 

Edited by zeph, Yesterday, 18:25.

[MikeTekRacing]

oh, i'd love to see it....