Formula 1 today announced during which race weekends a so-called ‘sprint format’ will be used. The layout of the race weekends with a sprint race will also be adjusted.
Just like last season, six sprint races will also take place in 2024. Formula 1 opted to organize sprint races in China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar during the 2024 F1 season. This means that four of the six sprint races have remained the same.
This year a sprint race took place on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit during the Belgian GP, but that will not be the case in 2024. Belgium, together with Azerbaijan, was exchanged for Miami and China. For the past four years, the F1 pilots have not been able to race at the Shanghai International Circuit, so we are looking forward to the sprint race in China. It is also remarkable that there is only one sprint race in Europe.
During the past season, a practice session took place during a race weekend with a sprint race on Friday, followed by qualifying for the race on Sunday. On Saturday we then had the ‘Sprint Shootout’, or the sprint qualifying, followed by the sprint race. On Sunday there was of course the Grand Prix.
This would change in 2024 with a practice session on Friday, followed by a ‘Sprint Shootout’, the qualification for the sprint race. The sprint race would then take place on Saturday morning, followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix on Sunday in the afternoon.
It is very unlikely that a so-called ‘reverse starting grid’ will be used in 2024. The teams in particular are strongly opposed to this.
Introducing the 2024 #F1Sprint Calendar!
Six venues will host F1 Sprint events during the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.#F1 # Formula 1 pic.twitter.com/Sv2GOjsWb6
— Formula 1 (@F1)
December 5, 2023