New F1 sprint format will free up “genius guys” to change cars

Final 12 months groups have been locked into decisions made after FP1 because the vehicles have been in parc ferme for important qualifying, the shootout, the dash and the grand prix.

That meant an uncompetitive automobile couldn’t be improved with set-up tweaks, and likewise led to points just like the extreme plank put on that led to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc being disqualified after the US GP.

Below the brand new format, FP1 is adopted by the shootout and dash below an preliminary parc ferme, after which groups have the chance to make use of the information that they’ve gained to alter their vehicles earlier than they go right into a second parc ferme that covers important qualifying and the race.

Particulars of precisely how the brand new format will work have been mentioned on Friday by a gathering of the sporting advisory committee.

“I feel that is nice,” stated Gasly when requested by Motorsport.com in regards to the modifications. “I feel that was lacking, positively. We ended up final 12 months having wonderful, sensible, genius guys on a Friday afternoon being forbidden to the touch something on our automobile.

“That is what they’re paid for, that is why they’re the very best. It was a bit unhappy, as a result of they’ve rather more to deliver to the desk than only one or two clicks of entrance flap and tyre strain.

“F1 is the highest of engineering, and I feel it is nice we nonetheless give them the chance to at all times make these steady enhancements by means of the weekend.”

Mechanics work on the automobile of Pierre Gasly, Alpine A523

Photograph by: James Sutton / Motorsport Photos

Gasly confirmed that beforehand his engineers have been left annoyed after they knew they may enhance the automobile however weren’t ready to take action.

“Precisely,” he stated. “You do not have time to strive something. As a result of in a single hour observe, you are fairly restricted. So it was at all times like, attempt to do the work within the simulator.

“For those who realise you did not begin the weekend with the very best set-up, your window to react was extraordinarily small. So I feel as a sport it was the totally the correct change.”

Gasly’s team-mate Esteban Ocon agreed the brand new format might be helpful.

“It could be good to do a dash shootout after which shut the parc ferme to do the dash race after which reopen it earlier than qualifying,” he stated.

“I feel that is what we needs to be doing. It is going to be rather more attention-grabbing as a weekend, and we’ll see rather a lot much less errors with silly issues like plank put on.”