F1’s Sprint schedule has been revised and will now feature earlier Saturday races followed by main qualifying, following the approval of changes by the Formula 1 Commission.
The format of Sprint race weekends has been under review for several months. As part of the new schedule, Fridays will now include FP1 in the morning, followed by the Sprint Shootout later in the day. The Sprint race itself will take place on Saturday, preceding the main qualifying session for the grand prix. This revised schedule will be implemented in six races this year, namely China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil, and Qatar.
In addition to the changes in the Sprint schedule, the F1 Commission meeting also approved an increase in the number of main power unit components to four per driver for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Furthermore, adjustments have been made to the handling of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) during races. Previously, DRS was activated after two laps following a race start or restart, but it will now be activated after just one lap of racing.
It is important to note that all of these changes are subject to formal ratification by the World Motor Sport Council. The council’s next meeting is scheduled for February 28, just prior to the commencement of the new F1 season.
