General
Verstappen: Sprint races do not solve Formula 1's current problems
- GPblog.com
It is possible that a sprint race will be added to the programme in Canada, Italy and Brazil in 2021. On Friday, the starting grid for Saturday's sprint race would be determined by a normal qualifying session as we know it now. The result of the sprint race will eventually provide the starting grid for Sunday's race. Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen are not entirely enthusiastic.
"I think we have to be careful not to lose the DNA of Formula 1," Perez replied when asked by Motorsport.com about his thoughts on the sprint races that may be experimented with this year. According to the Mexican it is a 'thin line'. "It's a bit risky. I'm open to it," he said.
Teammate Verstappen himself seems slightly less positive. "It's not necessarily about more racing (in a weekend). I quite like doing a one-and-a-half-hour race, because if we have good cars like we can race closely and more teams are able to fight for victory, you don't need sprint races."
The problem is not solved
The ten-time Grand Prix winner thinks sprint races are not the solution to the problem facing Formula 1 today. According to Verstappen, the FIA, FOM and Liberty Media simply need to ensure that the cars create less dirty air and that several teams can compete for victory instead of just Mercedes and Red Bull Racing