We're here now. Very close and, based on what filters, the new format present over the weekend by Sprint it will be made official soon.
The Sprint weekend
First things first: in the next Grand Prix, which will be held in Baku, the Sprint format will open the ball for the first time in the 2023 season. Based on last year, Friday will be characterized by the first free practice session, followed by qualifications that would define the starting grid of the Sprint. On Saturday, the FP2 (quite "useless" considering the closed park) they anticipate the afternoon Sprint. The order of arrival of the mini-competition it will be decisive because it will serve as the starting grid for Sunday's race.
The new idea
However, there is something new: during the F1 Commission in Australia, has in fact been proposed a new format to be applied of course solo during Sprint weekends. The idea would be to have one double qualification: one that will determine the starting grid of the race, the other instead of the Sprint. Saturday morning FP2 would be eliminated. We would therefore have: Friday the first free practice session, followed by qualifying (for the Sunday race grid). Saturday morning qualifying only for the Sprint grid, followed by the mini-race on Saturday afternoon. No change instead for the race on Sunday.
New format, the teams have reached an agreement
Based on the latest rumors, it seems that the teams are in agreement with this change. There was also initial discussion on the possibility that, on Saturday morning, instead of carrying out an entire qualifying session, each driver would have only one single lap available to complete the performance. Hypothesis that seems to have been rejected. Therefore, also for the Sprint, there will be the classic qualifying format (Q1, Q2 and Q3) with the possibility that the time available for the session is less than that present in the classic format.
Here's what's missing
There seems to be agreement: to arrive at the decisive official everything will depend on the F1 Commission, in which the ten teams have one vote each. To these, they add la FIA with ten votes and the leaders of F1, also with ten votes. Given that these would be very short-term changes, almost unanimity will be needed by 28 votes out of 30. It is time, therefore, to make the last necessary changes, before making another format change, even more "spectacular".
