Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s plans to shorten grands prix would make racing more processional, some drivers have warned.
Domenicali has reportedly said he wants to reduce the long-established minimum grand prix distance of 305 kilometres and increase the number of sprint races per season from the current six.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who scored his first F1 pole position for the Miami sprint race, said he likes the format but doesn’t want grands prix to be shortened.
“Personally, sprint weekends are fun because you have a lot of activity,” he said. “You have to be on point straight away because you only have one practice [session] then qualifying and then you go into a sprint race.
“But shorter races [grands prix] I don’t think would really work. Already now with long races we do a one-stop strategy with the tyres we have and they would have to implement so many more rules for a shorter race in terms of pit stops and so on. I don’t think it will change so much and I think also with a longer race probably you have also more time to build your race.
“I cannot really give a clear answer on this, but this is my thought. But sprint weekends are fun, so that wouldn’t be bad, having more of them.”
The last sprint race at Spa saw just one change of positions inside the top 14 places after the first lap. Fernando Alonso also believes shorter grands prix would be less eventful due to the reduction in tyre degradation.
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“As Kimi said, you need to do your own race and you need to find your way into the race to go back to your natural position at the end of the race if you execute it well,” he said. “If it’s too short, like some of the sprint races, if you start with a bad qualifying [position] or whatever, there is not time, basically, to execute anything.
“It’s difficult to follow, all the cars have the same tyre age, it is not possible to maybe recover some places. The longer races give you that possibility, that freedom on the strategy.”
Domenicali has claimed shorter races would be more popular with younger fans. But Alonso pointed out other popular sports have events which are similar in duration to grands prix.
“I don’t think it’s a problem with the sport so probably it’s not needed to change,” he said. “But Stefano knows better than anyone so if he thinks that it’s needed, we are in good hands in these kind of decisions with him.
“But also the football matches are a little bit long. When I’m sitting in front of the TV, I’m not watching the 90 minutes concentrating, I go to the kitchen, go back, there is always some moments of distraction. And no one is talking about having 60-minute football matches or something like that.
“It’s a problem of the society and the kids, but not the sports. So probably it’s not needed, the change.”
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Franco Colapinto was reluctant to discuss Domenicali’s proposal, saying he “can’t comment too much on that”, but heaped praise on the F1 CEO for his management of the series under owners Liberty Media.
“I think they are just doing a great job,” said the Alpine driver. “Stefano did a great job in bringing the sport to where it is now and he’s a great leader and I just really appreciate the effort that everyone is doing to try to make it better for the fans, for everyone here. It’s getting bigger and bigger, Formula 1, and if it’s for someone it’s thanks to them.”
“There is a lot of new things happening in the sport and they are bringing a lot of new people to it,” he added. “I think we are all very, very grateful for the effort that they have been doing in the past to make the sport better and get to where it’s now.”
This article will be updated
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