Formula 1 adjusts Sprint Shootout regulations after Baku hassle

During the Grand Prix weekend in Austria, the second Sprint of the season is scheduled. Once again, there is also a special qualifying session for this sprint race, the Sprint Shootout. In Baku - which had the premiere for separate qualifying earlier this year - it turned out that there was a loophole in the regulations. In the run-up to the Sprint Shootout at the Red Bull Ring, this has been amended.

During the Sprint Shootout, drivers were obliged to use a set of medium tyres in the first and second parts of qualifying. In the third part, there was an obligation to use a new set of softs. Several drivers decided to skip this third part of the Sprint Shootout in order to save a set of softs for Sunday's Grand Prix.

Old softs allowed

In his Event Notes ahead of the Grand Prix, Niels Wittich, Formula 1's race director, writes that the requirement that it must be a new set of softs is dropped. It is still that the third part of the Sprint Shootout must be done on softs, but these may also be used softs.

Qualifying for the Sprint is scheduled for Saturday at 12:30pm. The Sprint will take place later in the day at 16:30.