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Sprint race for rookies after Abu Dhabi? Mercedes and Ferrari welcome plan
- Corwin Kunst
A sprint race for rookies with F1 cars has been suggested after the last Grand Prix of the year in Abu Dhabi. The F1 Commission has discussed this, although the plans still need to be fleshed out. Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur are at least in favour of the idea.
"we're keen in giving rookie drivers more opportunity," Wolff said. "The [problem] is that if you give it to them on a Grand Prix race weekend, it's going to impact the main drivers, or it could impact the main drivers' performances. If you let them race on a main weekend, it could influence the race result, which could be pretty damaging if you're fighting for a championship," the Mercedes team boss is thinking about possible crashes and other technical problems.
Formula 1 teams have been looking at other options to get juniors into action during a race weekend, but no good plan has been forthcoming. As a result, the idea emerged to do it after the season, the Monday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. "It's going to be a strain for the team, obviously, because we have another day. But we are in the entertainment industry and that's the best idea so far that we have come up to give them more driving time."
According to Wolff, everyone agreed on the plans. "I think there was no one in the room that didn't support the idea because we have all the same objectives. We want to give them more exposure, we want to give them running time and that is where we landed."
Few opportunities for young drivers
Frederic Vasseur also likes to see it happen. "With the current regulations and the three days of testing that you have during the winter, it's not easy to give them mileage. We were thinking to give them the opportunity to do more FP1, but they are doing already 14 races in F2. On top of this, we have the Sprint races where you can't give the FP1. Plus some tracks, it's not easy. We will never give up the FP1 in Singapore or Monaco or Baku," the Ferrari boss said.
He continued: "At the end of the day, we don't have so many opportunities to give them the opportunity to test the car in the real condition and outside of the TPC system. And I think this opportunity could be a good one to also to give them the full weekend with a free practice, quali and [race] start. And so for sure, it's not easy to organise and so, but I'm supportive."
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
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