Formula 1 announces six sprint races for 2023

Last season there were sprint races in three Grand Prix weekends for the second time. This happened for the first time in 2021. Next year there will be twice as many, in six Grand Prix weekends there will be a sprint race on Saturday. Formula 1 previously seemed to keep everything the same by keeping three again in 2023, but that plan is off the table. The Formula 1 teams will receive extra budgetary space due to the higher number of sprint races. After all, the chance of damage is greater with more sprint races.

Just like this year, there will be sprint races in Austria (July 1) and Brazil (November 4) in 2023, which will be canceled in Imola. New are Azerbaijan (April 29), Belgium (July 29), Qatar (October 7) and the US (October 21). According to Formula 1, these destinations were chosen because of the overtaking opportunities, the chance of racing spectacularly close to each other and the high speeds that can be achieved. According to Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, F1 fans have become increasingly enthusiastic about sprint races in recent years. According to him, higher viewing figures on Saturday reinforce this image. Therefore, the number is expanded.

Again the sprint races will take place on Saturday. The starting grid for the sprint race will be determined in qualifying on Friday. The result of the sprint race determines the starting grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix and points are awarded for the top eight. The winner gets eight points, the runner-up gets seven, and so on.

Whoever is fastest in qualifying on Friday will take pole position. That was also the case last year, in 2020 the winner of the sprint race was still the one who received the pole position award. Although the current state of affairs is clearer according to F1, it means that the driver who officially puts pole position behind his name will not necessarily start from P1 in the main race on Sunday. After all, that still depends on what happens in the sprint race.