F1 and FIA announce tweaks to the sprint format

Following the first meeting of the Formula 1 Commission in 2024, Formula One and the sport's governing body, the FIA have today announced key changes to the sprint format for the upcoming 2024 F1 season.

The first meeting of the Formula 1 Commission in 2024 took place on Monday at the offices of Formula One Management, London ahead of the start of the new season. The meeting was chaired by FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis and Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. Among several key discussion points, F1 teams have agreed to changes to the format of sprint races for the upcoming 2024 season.

Sprint weekends were introduced at select Grands Prix in 2021. While the first season included three sprint races, that amount of was doubled last year with the same number of sprint race set to take place in 2024. The locations where the special weekend format will come into force are China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar.

However, the sport has now announced that the weekend format will be changed for F1 2024 season.

The new schedule will see the first and only free practice take place on Friday ahead of the Sprint Qualifying that will be staged on the same day. Saturday will then include the Sprint and Grand Prix Qualifying while Grand Prix takes place on Sunday.

While drivers originally had an allocation of three power units for 2024, it has been agreed that this number will be increased to four for the coming two seasons.

The sport executed a trial with the DRS activation last year. Since the introduction of the drag reduction system, drivers were allowed to active it from the second lap after stat or restart. Last year saw the sport allow drivers to activate the DRS one lap after the start of sprint race as an attempt to assess its effect on overtaking. With the earlier activation timing proving successful, drivers will be permitted to use the DRS one lap after the start of the Race, or the re-start following a Safety Car in main races as well.

Furthermore, the group discussed a number of topics relating to the 2026 Regulations in particular financial and sustainability matters.