The variety of dash races on the Components 1 calendar will double to 6 subsequent yr however the sequence’ outgoing managing director of motorsports admits he stays uncertain what the best quantity ought to be.
Ross Brawn is retiring from F1 this low season, bringing to an finish a profession of over 4 a long time within the sport. He spent the final 5 years working with Components One Administration after its takeover by Liberty Media and has launched main modifications to the sporting facet of Components 1 in that point, together with the finances cap and dash races.
Three dash races have been scheduled throughout every of the final two seasons. The format will develop to cowl six of the 24 rounds on the 2023 F1 calendar.
Brawn advised the official F1 web site he isn’t positive what number of dash races F1 ought to maintain in a season. “The dash was an initiative which appears to have labored,” Brawn mentioned. “We’re increasing to 6 sprints subsequent yr.
“I don’t know what would be the optimum quantity we are going to settle at long-term. Some argue we should always have it at each race. We’ll see if that’s the way it evolves. The dash has definitely livened up the entire weekend and provides us a full three days of motion.”
Dash races have been criticised by some followers and drivers. World champion Max Verstappen has been vocal about his dislike of the format, arguing that the stability of danger and reward means drivers will naturally err on the facet of warning throughout dash races. The controversial format has since been adopted by the bike world championship Moto GP, which is able to run dash races following qualifying in any respect of its rounds subsequent season.
Brawn believes Components 1 ought to recognise the areas of the game which can be sturdy and ensure to not danger altering them an excessive amount of, comparable to the standard three-stage qualifying format.
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“On the sporting rules, we’ve had an open thoughts about how we should always develop the race weekend format,” Brawn mentioned. “There are already numerous good issues in F1.
“I occur to suppose the present qualifying spec is fairly good. Three-stage qualifying retains individuals engaged for the entire time. It’s thrilling and it sometimes throws up a number of variables.
“We even have a bunch of people that now concentrate on attempting to make the tracks as attention-grabbing as potential, so we don’t get tracks the place we will’t race correctly. Each current monitor has been assessed and we’ve an enter into all new tracks to make sure nice racing.”
Having been closely concerned within the designing of the brand new technical rules for the 2022 season, Brawn says he’s glad that the brand new floor impact automobiles achieved the aim of permitting drivers to run nearer to rivals than earlier than.
“It was an enormous thrill for me after I noticed the 2022 automobiles first race and we skilled two or three automobiles racing alongside one another – we hadn’t usually seen that earlier than,” he mentioned. “Now you possibly can run arduous behind one other automobile for a number of laps with out points.”
Brawn believes that now’s the suitable time for him to step down and permit others to arrange for the following main change to the facility unit method deliberate for 2026.
“Now’s the suitable time for me to retire,” he mentioned. “Now we have finished the majority of the work, and we’re in a consolidation interval now. There’s a brand new automobile coming in 2026, however that’s 4 years away, fairly distant for me, so it’s higher the following group of individuals tackle that mantle. I imagine I’m leaving F1 in an amazing place.
“I’ll now watch F1 from my couch, cheering and cursing as an F1 fan, happy that the game is in a incredible place and has such a incredible future.”
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