During 2022 the FIA had announced the increase from three to six stages on the calendar where the Sprint would have been held, but the rounds were not known. Just today, Formula 1 announced which are the six circuits covered by the new format. This is the list:
- Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Baku City Circuit) – 30 April 2023
- Austrian Grand Prix (Red Bull Ring) – 2 July 2023
- Belgian Grand Prix (Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps) – 30 July 2023
- Qatar Grand Prix (Losail International Circuit) – 8 October 2023
- United States Grand Prix (Circuit of the Americas) – 22 October 2023
- São Paulo Grand Prix (Autódromo José Carlos Pace) – 5 November 2023
Two of the stages indicated have already been the scene of a Sprint: we are talking about Austria and Brazil, with the San Paolo circuit which offered two absolutely spectacular races in 2021 and 2022. Azerbaijan, Belgium, Qatar and the United States will host the Sprint for the first time. We recall that Qatar has signed a contract valid for 10 years from 2023 to be on the calendar, with a break in 2022 for the soccer World Cup.
In the future, the Sprint could undergo changes that make it an event in its own right, but for 2023 the format will remain the same as in 2022. Saturday's race will be valid for Sunday's starting grid, and will give points to the top eight finishers. However, the driver in pole position for the statistics remains whoever qualifies first on Friday.
Domenicali: "Positive reception for the Sprint"
The president and CEO of Formula 1, Stefano domenicali, released a statement in the release, which reads as follows:
“We've seen an extremely positive reception for F1 Sprint events in the first two years they've hit the calendar, and we're looking forward to bringing even more spectator action with six events next year, including the first Sprint in the United States. The introduction of the Sprint has created an action-packed three-day weekend, and brings even more excitement to fans of our sport, as well as added value for teams, broadcasters, partners and host cities.”.
In short, from Formula 1 there is a positive trend linked to non-traditional weekends. The choice of tracks affects the event a lot, since tracks where overtaking is easier allow for more action. We will also see any changes that the F1 commission will decide to make for the following seasons, with an eye to the weekend format.
