Formula One announces changes to Sprint format

The Formula One Commission has announced changes to the Sprint format ahead of the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which is set to be the first Sprint event of the 2023 F1 season.

New changes see general qualifying once again set the grid for the main race, while a new Sprint Shootout has been introduced to determine the grid for the Sprint event. The Sprint will continue to carry the same points from last season. 

The new format states that Friday will host the Free Practice Session 1 and Qualifying, which will set the grid for the main race on Sunday. Saturday will have Qualifying 1 consisting of 12 minutes, Qualifying 2 consisting of 10 minutes, and Qualifying 3 consisting of eight minutes, which will be dubbed as the Sprint Shootout and will set the grid for the Sprint. The Sprint Shootout will see teams following mandatory tyre rules: while Q1 and Q2 will be on mediums, Q3 will be on the soft compound tyres.

Drivers with grid penalties in Free Practice Session 1 and Friday’s Qualifying will have those applied to the main race, while the Sprint Shootout grid penalties will only apply to the Sprint. Grid penalties received during the Sprint will apply to the main race. Power unit penalties will apply only to the main race. 

The new Sprint format will be used during the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku and will be further used during the five other Sprint events in Austria, Belgium, Qatar, Austin and Brazil.