Formula One announces sprint qualifying at three Grands Prix in 2021

Formula 1 has announced that an agreement has been reached between the FIA, Formula 1 and all 10 teams on the grid which will see the debut of the the Sprint Qualifying format at three Grands Prix in 2021.

The FIA Formula 1 Commission has today, 26th April 2021, unanimously approved the adoption of a Sprint Qualifying at three Grands Prix during the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship. These events will be held at two European and one non- European venue.

The sport underlined that "the format is designed to increase the on-track action and engage fans in new and innovative way. It also strikes the right balance of rewarding drivers and teams on merit while also giving others the chance to battle their way through the field on Saturday to increase their race chances on Sunday."

Regarding the schedule of the modified race weekends, on the Friday there will be a qualifying session after the First Free Practice that will determine the grid for the Sprint Qualifying on Saturday. The results of Saturday’s Sprint Qualifying will determine the grid for Sunday’s race. It has been decided that the top three finishers in Saturday’s Sprint Qualifying will receive points, with first place receiving three points, second place two points and third place one point.

Should wet conditions arise during a race weekend, teams will adhere to different rules regarding the tyre allocation.

If FP1 or Qualifying is wet, teams will receive an additional set of Intermediates but must return a used Intermediate set prior to Sprint Qualifying. If the Sprint Qualifying is wet, teams may return 1 set of used Wet or Intermediates after – to be replaced with a new set of Intermediates. Drivers will have access to a maximum of 9 sets of Wets and Intermediates in total.

60-minute First Practice in the morning with two sets of tyres for teams to choose freely
Normal Qualifying format in the afternoon with five soft tyre sets available only

60-minute Second Free Practice in the morning with one set of tyres for teams to choose freely
100km Sprint Qualifying in the afternoon with two sets of tyres for teams to choose freely

Full distance Grand Prix with two remaining sets of tyres

At these select three venues, the rules regarding the parc Fermé conditions will also be altered. Parc fermé conditions will apply from the start of Qualifying on Friday, forbidding the changing of major components with three objectives: to stop the construction of special Qualifying cars, to limit the number of hours required for preparing the car for the following day, and to allow enough reconfiguration of the cars to make Saturday morning Free Practice a useful session.

After the start of Sprint Qualifying, cars will be in full Parc Fermé. A limited number of modifications are allowed after Qualifying including the changes to the weight distribution.

Furthermore, power Unit and gearbox cooling may be adjusted by altering the engine cover outlets or louvres providing the declared ambient temperatures recorded by the FIA appointed weather service provider one hour before the start of Qualifying and one hour before the start of Sprint Qualifying varies by 10 degrees Centigrade or more.

“We are excited by this new opportunity that will bring our fans an even more engaging race weekend in 2021,” said Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. “Seeing the drivers battling it out over three days will be an amazing experience and I am sure the drivers will relish the fight.

“I am delighted that all the teams supported this plan, and it is a testament to our united efforts to continue to engage our fans in new ways while ensuring we remain committed to the heritage and meritocracy of our sport.”

FIA President Jean Todt, meanwhile, commented: “I am pleased to see that Formula 1 is seeking new ways to engage with its fans and enlarge the spectacle of a race weekend through the concept of Sprint Qualifying. It was made possible thanks to the continued collaboration between the FIA, Formula 1, and all of the teams.

“F1 is showing itself to be stronger than ever with all stakeholders working together in this way, and much has been done to ensure that the Sporting, Technical and Financial aspects of the format are fair.”