Extremely boring! The F1 sprint qualifying race either extends the distance or forces pit stops, otherwise it may be cancelled!

After experiencing a ridiculously boring F1 sprint qualifying race in Austria, it’s likely that many fans share the same feeling as the author, which is that it was an extremely boring race. Besides the entanglement between Vettel, Norris, and Piastri, it seems difficult to find any more exciting scenes. This phenomenon also reflects the current embarrassing situation of F1’s sprint qualifying race.

If it is not adjusted, then this reform aimed at increasing the excitement of the race obviously goes against its original purpose, and the event may face cancellation due to its dullness. So, what should be done to reform the F1 sprint qualifying? Below, I will discuss my ideas on how to improve the sprint qualifying of F1.

One, the mileage of the F1 sprint qualifying race should be extended to avoid the DRS train phenomenon becoming the main content of the race.

From the current situation, the problem with the sprint qualifying race lies mainly in the short length of the race. This leads to many drivers not being able to break away from the DRS pack before the majority of the race has already been completed. The Austrian F1 sprint race also saw this phenomenon almost throughout the majority of the race, which is a major factor in making the race very boring and unattractive.

Of course, it is also very simple to change this situation, that is, make the race distance longer. From the current 100 kilometers, increase to 150-200 kilometers of race distance. In this way, more drivers can have sufficient race time after getting rid of the DRS train formation. And the team can also make reasonable changes in the strategy of whether to pit, to get a better position. This also increases the variability of the race and increases the excitement of the race.

2. There are no current variables in the race, so each team can be forced to make a pit stop.

From the sprint qualifying sessions of recent seasons, it is rare for a team to choose to pit for a tire change within such a short distance of 100 kilometers. Because it is very likely to fall behind many positions, and the remaining distance is not enough to make up for the previous loss. This leads to another big problem with boring races. Of course, it is also very simple to solve this problem, that is, to force all drivers to make a pit stop for tire change.

This will also increase the excitement and unpredictability of the race to some extent, such as when to pit for a tire change and what tire to change are important factors that the team needs to consider.

Three, change the time of the F1 sprint qualifying race to allow drivers to compete without being conservative.

The current sprint qualifying session is very tight in terms of time, with only just over three hours available, which is a major issue in itself. This means that if a driver experiences an unfortunate incident during the sprint qualifying session, such as a collision or a driving error, and cannot be repaired in time, they risk not being able to participate in the qualifying session.

Therefore, from this point of view, many drivers in the sprint qualifying race drive relatively conservatively, as they cannot afford the risks of aggressive driving. In this way, if it is not an absolute opportunity, perhaps the audience will really not see any truly exciting battles in the race. Stable and steady driving is the key. In Austria, we can see this, where drivers are often afraid of collisions and do not engage in aggressive defense.

IV. With too few points in the sprint qualifying race, more teams will weigh the pros and cons and choose to strategically withdraw.

Because the sprint qualifying only awards points to the top eight finishers, and the points are relatively few, drivers who are outside the top ten will generally choose to do data collection work. If the mileage of the sprint qualifying race is really increased, then the corresponding points for the sprint qualifying race also need to be adjusted. Specifically, the points can be awarded to the ninth or tenth-place finishers in the same way as the main race, with 10-8-7-6; or 10-9-8-7 in a decreasing order, which would also give other drivers a greater sense of participation.

Furthermore, under the new regulation reform by the FIA, the number of points awarded for finishing positions in the main race will be adjusted to 12 in the future, so the situation where the points awarded for the qualifying race and the main race are the same will not occur.

So, it seems that the FIA needs a comprehensive reform of the sprint qualifying race. This is the author’s feelings and opinions after experiencing many unappealing sprint qualifying races. If you like the author’s article, please like and support it. Of course, if you have different opinions, please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section.