Changes in F1 imminent? Racing Bulls wants more sprint races

Since Liberty Media took ownership of Formula 1, the sport has grown exponentially. Audiences who might once have overlooked the racing action are not eagerly engaging with it, much to the delight of both Formula 1 and its teams.

Take any Grand Prix around the world. Where the stands were once dominated by middle-aged men, there are now families and a growing number of young female fans. Judging by their outfits, many of these young women show support for drivers such as McLaren’s Lando Norris.

More changes in Formula 1?

Formula 1 is in a strong position at the moment, but the Formula One Management is not resting on its laurels. They are exploring ways to make the sport even more exciting, including introducing more sprint races and adding elements of tension to free practice sessions.

Andrea Stella, McLaren's team boss, commends FOM for what has been achieved in recent years. According to the Italian, it is now indeed the task to take the next step. “We all have a responsibility to sustain this journey that F1 as an overall business is going through,” he tells, among others, GPblog.

" As part of this responsibility, we need to be open to reinventing ourselves if this is needed to sustain this growth. The success of the Formula 1 business at the moment should not be taken for granted. Not all sports are having this kind of success across the board."

“We understand also that the fandom has changed, and it could be that there's a need to review the way we approach free practice, the way we approach the entire race weekend. I think we have to be open to that."

“Obviously, we will try to be reasonable, we will try and protect some elements of the DNA of Formula 1, but definitely, I think it's part of our responsibility to contribute. This is something we discussed recently in the F1 Commission, and it’s always going to be at the top of the agenda,” says Stella.

Racing Bulls is open to more sprint races

'Give the fans what they want!'

If the conclusion is that more sprint races should be held, then Racing Bulls is in favour of that. “We need to give our customers what they want at the end of the day—the spectators, the people watching us,” says team boss Alain Permane.

“That’s where we go to first and, of course, we put our trust in Stefano [Domenicali] and F1. They’re doing a tremendous job. With them and through the F1 Commission, we can shape the sport. I think Sprints are good fun. I'd be happy to do a few more, no problem."