How to decide success of sprint qualifying?

[Big Tea]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

What would you do about all the other stupid stuff? There tire choice changes and the Parc ferme rules?

They could reverse it? the very first on track event being the sprint race, then revert to as it was.
How they decide on grid order though...

[i70q7m7ghw]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

What would you do about all the other stupid stuff? There tire choice changes and the Parc ferme rules?

A dedicated set of tyres for the sprint, again it shouldn't impact the main event. I think parc ferme could also be relaxed to allow a setup for qualifying and the sprint, and then a different setup for the race. It's just a question of if that's workable from a scrutineering perspective.

[El Scorchio]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

What would you do about all the other stupid stuff? There tire choice changes and the Parc ferme rules?

I completely feel they should be able to set up the cars entirely for a single lap on Friday and then for race set up on Saturday. No compromises. Obviously nothing big like gearboxes or engines but all the setup tweaks. That would IMO make a lot more sense.

[adrianjordan]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

What would you do about all the other stupid stuff? There tire choice changes and the Parc ferme rules?

I completely feel they should be able to set up the cars entirely for a single lap on Friday and then for race set up on Saturday. No compromises. Obviously nothing big like gearboxes or engines but all the setup tweaks. That would IMO make a lot more sense.

Agreed. We have a cost cap now, so relax some of these limits.

[i70q7m7ghw]

What would you do about all the other stupid stuff? There tire choice changes and the Parc ferme rules?

I completely feel they should be able to set up the cars entirely for a single lap on Friday and then for race set up on Saturday. No compromises. Obviously nothing big like gearboxes or engines but all the setup tweaks. That would IMO make a lot more sense.

Agreed. We have a cost cap now, so relax some of these limits.

There needs to be parc ferme in place to ensure scrutineering can take place i.e. ensure the cars are legal during qualifying and the race. Without parc ferme, teams could be changing the cars after scrutineering has taken place, which is obviously not going to work.

I think maybe it could work like this:

FRIDAY
* FP1
* (Parc Ferme)
* Qualifying

SATURDAY
* FP2
* (Parc Ferme)
* Sprint

SUNDAY
* GP

EDIT: And as I said earlier, make the sprint race just a race for additional points rather than a qualifying session, Friday qualifying defines the grid for the sprint and the GP. They could even consider doing a reverse grid for the sprint, as it won't impact the GP.

[El Scorchio]

I completely feel they should be able to set up the cars entirely for a single lap on Friday and then for race set up on Saturday. No compromises. Obviously nothing big like gearboxes or engines but all the setup tweaks. That would IMO make a lot more sense.

Agreed. We have a cost cap now, so relax some of these limits.

There needs to be parc ferme in place to ensure scrutineering can take place i.e. ensure the cars are legal during qualifying and the race. Without parc ferme, teams could be changing the cars after scrutineering has taken place, which is obviously not going to work.

I think maybe it could work like this:

FRIDAY
* FP1
* (Parc Ferme)
* Qualifying

SATURDAY
* FP2
* (Parc Ferme)
* Sprint

SUNDAY
* GP

EDIT: And as I said earlier, make the sprint race just a race for additional points rather than a qualifying session, Friday qualifying defines the grid for the sprint and the GP. They could even consider doing a reverse grid for the sprint, as it won't impact the GP.

Agree. There hopefully is a way to allow all necessary checks and scrutiny to take place but also to allow the teams more setup freedom.

[codetower]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

If you decouple it, what incentive would haas, alfa, williams have in running the sprint? You’d have to give an incentive for anyone who doesnt have a shot at the top 3. I think you lottery up the top 10 finishers from quali.

[adrianjordan]

I completely feel they should be able to set up the cars entirely for a single lap on Friday and then for race set up on Saturday. No compromises. Obviously nothing big like gearboxes or engines but all the setup tweaks. That would IMO make a lot more sense.

Agreed. We have a cost cap now, so relax some of these limits.

There needs to be parc ferme in place to ensure scrutineering can take place i.e. ensure the cars are legal during qualifying and the race. Without parc ferme, teams could be changing the cars after scrutineering has taken place, which is obviously not going to work.

I think maybe it could work like this:

FRIDAY
* FP1
* (Parc Ferme)
* Qualifying

SATURDAY
* FP2
* (Parc Ferme)
* Sprint

SUNDAY
* GP

EDIT: And as I said earlier, make the sprint race just a race for additional points rather than a qualifying session, Friday qualifying defines the grid for the sprint and the GP. They could even consider doing a reverse grid for the sprint, as it won't impact the GP.

Yeah, that would get my vote.

[SmallSoldier]

I really enjoyed the weekend… A little more action on track than normal… Some fun battles, a little shake up on the grid and a crescendo towards the main race… Yes, it doesn’t work everywhere, but in selected tracks, I do believe it adds to the weekend and to the fans that go to the track with a bit more meaningful running on track.

[Cold Fussion]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

If you decouple it, what incentive would haas, alfa, williams have in running the sprint? You’d have to give an incentive for anyone who doesnt have a shot at the top 3. I think you lottery up the top 10 finishers from quali.

Change the point system. Multiply the current points by like 4 and use the current point system (or something like it) for the sprint race.

[dave kumar]

There was a nice quote from Binotto (I think), that they were just considering the Sprint and the Race as one race, with a red flag in between. And as it stands, with points only available to the top 3 of the Sprint, for most teams on the grid that is exactly what it is. It suggests that if you want more overtaking / risk taking in the Sprint, there has to be more incentive than improving your grid slot for the race on Sunday.

I also share those opinions that think the Sprint was too long.

The first few laps were fun. If F1 really wants to do something with this format, they should bring Q1 and Q2 back to Saturday, and then replace the 12-minute Q3 with a 12-minute sprint for the top 10 finishers from Q2. Simply start the parade lap from the pits and then a standing start. An extra benefit would be a lower risk in cases such as Perez today, which means the drivers can take more chances in the sprint.

I like this. I mean I still don't like the idea of messing with qualifying but if you have to do something (to bring in some more money), then a 12 minute sprint with the top 10 would be fun to see (and lower risk to reward ratio for the drivers).

[El Scorchio]

There was a nice quote from Binotto (I think), that they were just considering the Sprint and the Race as one race, with a red flag in between. And as it stands, with points only available to the top 3 of the Sprint, for most teams on the grid that is exactly what it is. It suggests that if you want more overtaking / risk taking in the Sprint, there has to be more incentive than improving your grid slot for the race on Sunday.

I also share those opinions that think the Sprint was too long.

The first few laps were fun. If F1 really wants to do something with this format, they should bring Q1 and Q2 back to Saturday, and then replace the 12-minute Q3 with a 12-minute sprint for the top 10 finishers from Q2. Simply start the parade lap from the pits and then a standing start. An extra benefit would be a lower risk in cases such as Perez today, which means the drivers can take more chances in the sprint.

I like this. I mean I still don't like the idea of messing with qualifying but if you have to do something (to bring in some more money), then a 12 minute sprint with the top 10 would be fun to see (and lower risk to reward ratio for the drivers).

I actually think treating it exactly like that would be good. I think I went on about it earlier in this very thread.

• They all start the sprint on whatever tyres they want, BUT they must carry them over to the start of the full race.

• They can opt to fuel as much as they like, but will incur either a time or grid slot penalty corresponding to how much fuel they add overnight.

That has the potential to REALLY shake up the grid for Sunday and open up all sorts of strategy options.
In addition give them a much more flexible tyre choice. I felt the prescribed allocation this weekend was very prohibitive. What does it matter to Pirelli if they have to take home some unused tyres and use them at a race later in the season? They'll still get used sooner or later.

[Red Rock Mutley]

Overall, I thought that was an engaging weekend with more action and controversy than I was expecting. Every one of the 3 competitive sessions was interesting in its own right, albeit for reasons that are not hard-baked into this format. I loved Alonso's flat-out racing in the opening laps of the spring race, I enjoyed Hamilton's recovery drive, and Q on a fast-evolving track was awesome.

I think this weekend has flirted with something great, or at least created a spark. There's something highly attractive in those few laps of the sprint race where driver talent counted more than car performance. I love the idea of flat-out racing. I approve of the deregulation of the tyre allocation. And why not remove the limit of set-up changes between the sessions. Why not allow those cars with a balance issue to run at maximum single lap Q performance without worry about compromising their race. My one takeaway from this weekend's experiment is the feeling that it's time to look again at some of the more ugly regulations.

[NL_Fer]

Interesting to see, that the crash some muffled the discussion about the Sprint Qualification.
But looking back, hasn’t the sprint qualifing an important factor in the runup to the crash?

It was because of the sprint, that both drivers already knew that their cars were pretty equal in speed in the race and that an overtake was very hard. Whoever would come out P1 after the first lap would be the race leader for the whole race. Max and Lews both knew that and were both committed to come out as P1, yielding was not an option.

Also Hamilton knew already that Wellington was to short for an overtake, but he would get a great tow heading to Copse. Hamilton also knew it wouldn’t work on the outside, because he tried it already on Saturday. So he would go for a dummy and try the inside on Sunday.

So there we have it: Two drivers alongside, both committed to come out first and ended the battle there one lap 1. The sprint brought us some exciting racing on Saturday, but it robbed us of a long battle on Sunday.

[taperoo2k]

I think they should decouple it from the main event. Qualifying decides the grid for BOTH races, and the sprint is just a special race that happens on Saturday for the chance to win some extra points.

If you decouple it, what incentive would haas, alfa, williams have in running the sprint? You’d have to give an incentive for anyone who doesnt have a shot at the top 3. I think you lottery up the top 10 finishers from quali.

Change the point system. Multiply the current points by like 4 and use the current point system (or something like it) for the sprint race.

I think the tweaks I'd make to the Sprint race would be to
1. Set the Grid for Sunday.
2. Award Constructors points only for the top 10 finishers.

The drivers have the incentive for a better grid placing in the race and teams in tight battles over where they finish in the constructors have an incentive to do well in the Sprint race. Then I'd only run the Sprint Race at tracks where it makes sense to do so i.e. Classic Race Weekends alongside Sprint Race Weekends. Should hopefully keep the more traditionally minded F1 fans happy and entice new fans to the sport.