Following the attendance success of the recent United States GP, Formula 1 continues to make progress down the modernization path and, consequently, towards a greater popularisation of the sport. 

In an attempt to attract new countries and younger fans to the sport, Formula One motorsport managing director, Ross Brawn has announced a number of important changes. Most of these have to do with the actual format of the Grand Prix and are intended to provide a more compact, dynamic and exciting show. 

The Formula 1 GP rounds next season will be restructured to be shorter, going from four to three days of activity on and off the track. First, the pilot’s press conference on Thursdays will be scrapped and so team members will be allowed to arrive at the circuits one day later. All of the 2022 Grand Prix will therefore start on Friday mornings with a new open session in which each team will talk about any changes to their cars: 

“We’re pushing on with initiatives to get greater engagement and greater insight into what’s happening. So next year, on a Friday morning, the cars will be presented to you. The teams will explain the changes they’ve made for that weekend and they’ll declare to the FIA the changes they’ve made. It will create another nuance and other interest in the sport because the technical side of the sport is quite fascinating to a lot of fans“ – Explained Brown -.  

Sprint races: Six races and more points on Saturdays  

There will also be more Formula 1 Grand Prix with a sprint format in the next World Championship. The free practice sessions will take place on Friday afternoon. After criticism from both drivers and fans, the fastest car against the clock in the Friday qualifying session will get the pole position, rather than the winner of Saturday’s short race, as is the case this year. 

“It’s been a consistent comment amongst fans and drivers that the person who does the fastest single lap with low fuel in qualifying is the pole position holder. I guess we hadn’t really considered that when we set out this new format. I would like to see a reversion to that being pole position. There is broad opinion that Friday should be pole position for the sprint weekends, so I would hope we can get that through for next year. I am optimistic on that.”, said Mr. Brown.

There are further changes regarding the number of Saturday ‘short races’ which are coming into effect in 2022, a season with 23 scheduled rounds. The number of these races will double from three in 2021 to six next year. One of the greatest differences, however, will be the also controversial point scoring system of these races which is to award a third of the originally Sunday points. 

The winner will obtain between eight and ten points. This change hopes to incentivise further fighting in classifying. Currently, the low reward for the first three classified – three, two and one points – means drivers don’t take unnecessary risks before Sunday’s race. 

“It goes far enough down for people in lower positions to want to fight for it, but is not a number that will over-influence the championship,” explainen the Brit.

The former Ferrari Formula 1 manager has also revealed an innovative new ruling regarding tyres:

“We hope in 2022, we’re going to have some weekends where we have a reduced number of tyres available. We think we can do that without impacting the show. But, as you know in Formula 1, there’s always the chance of unintended consequences” – Declared the British executive regarding the reduction of tire sets available at some races. 

Images of Formula 1: Formula 1.com