Christian Horner: Changes to F1 Sprint “should be centered around the fans”[F1-Gate.com]

Red Bull Racing F1 team principal Christian Horner believes F1 fans must be at the heart of decisions about the new sprint format and believes it needs to be a “long-term” decision. In 2023, a new Sprint Shootout was added on Saturday mornings to set the grid for sprint races, effectively making these Saturday events separate from the main Grand Prix.

However, this format requires cars to enter parc fermé conditions after one free practice session before Friday’s Grand Prix qualifying, with no opportunity to adjust set-up after 60 minutes. This, and the fact that the Sprint, which will enter its fourth season in 2024, was largely quiet in 2023 have led to growing calls for a change to the format, with the F1 committee recently meeting in Abu Dhabi to discuss the format. It was promised that further discussions would take place on the fine-tuning of the Red Bull Racing won five of six sprint races in 2023, losing only to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the Qatar Grand Prix. Christian Horner argues that while the format will remain, it needs a major overhaul. “I think it’s clear that the sprint needs to evolve a little bit. I understand the concept and it’s an interesting three-day action for the promoters and the fans, but I think it’s left a bit to be desired in some cases.” Horner told the media. “I think it’s clear that sprints need to evolve a little bit. I understand the concept and it’s a three-day action. It’s of interest to promoters and fans, but in some cases sprints too. I think,’ I was a little overwhelmed,” Horner told media outlets such as RacingNews365. “There are no pit stops, it’s still grid order, and it’s like getting a medal for a long run. “If we can introduce a little more racing, what are the consequences of that, if we reverse the grid, do we get points? “We need to work on it a bit more within the Sports Forum, and no doubt the next committee meeting early in the new year will decide on the final format. “It is very important that the next steps are fixed for a long time.” “This sprint concept is a new concept that has just been introduced, is very popular in some regions, and has some traditions.” “I think the necessary research is needed because no matter how it evolves, it needs to be consistent over a long period of time.” “I think fan feedback will play a big role in this in terms of what they want. Do they actually enjoy the sprint format as is? Or if they’re going to do a sprint race, race a little bit more? “Do I want to see it?” “If we’re going to do a sprint race, how do we award points? What kind of incentives do we give to drivers and teams? There are many related topics, but the most important basic It’s all about what the fans want.”