While Formula 1 is considering possible changes to the sprint format for the 2024 season, Pirelli is certain that track selection is key
Formula 1 tire supplier Pirelli believes that choosing the right tracks is the key to more exciting sprint races, rather than tinkering with the format. Teams and Formula 1 bosses have begun discussions about possible changes to the sprints for 2024 as they fear the current system does not offer fans enough.
A number of options are on the table, including the possibility of a reversed grid, a fully standalone sprint championship, cash prizes and a reworking of the weekend schedule to move sessions around.
There are even suggestions that Formula 1 should do more to ensure there is greater strategic variance in tire choice – this was a key factor that made this year’s Saturday race in Qatar so exciting.
Pirelli: Distance should not be changed
Pirelli, however, believes there is no need to play around with the sprint race itself – because it will always be difficult to create circumstances that open the door for different tire choices.
Instead, Pirelli chief engineer Simone Berra believes the best way to ensure good sprint entertainment is to make sure events are held on tracks that offer overtaking opportunities.
“I don’t think we should change anything about the distance for the sprint,” he explains. “I think it’s better to decide properly where the layout of the track can help a lot because we can make decisions that make the sprint even more spectacular. “
Why was the sprint in Qatar so exciting?
Berra believes that the reason Qatar proved so good, with riders storming to the front on the soft tires early on before dropping back later in the race, was because neither tire proved perfect for the conditions.
“We’ve had good sprint races,” he says. “But in Qatar the tire degradation was very high, which affected the choice of compound. We didn’t really have a strong compound. We had the C2 and the C3, but both suffered from graining. I think the layout of the track is really important to choose the right tracks for a good spectacle. “
The balancing act with the tires: High wear or full push?
Berra also believes that it would be too difficult to create conditions where tire choice is always borderline, as there is always a fine line between providing tires that allow drivers to push and enabling good racing.
“It’s not an easy balance because if you have high degradation they [the drivers] have to cope with it, but if you have low degradation they can push but you don’t have a difference in pace because the degradation is low for everyone. So it’s always a combination where you choose the track and the tire compounds, and some teams are able to perform better than others.”
“For example [in the sprint in Brazil], Mercedes lost a lot in the last laps, especially [Lewis] Hamilton. Even [Oscar] Piastri at the end of the race, so that was really important. That meant you had to manage the tires and there were some battles and some people gaining positions from behind. “
