Sprint Shootout to Replace Second Practice Session

Timings Key Differentiator in Revised Format

F1 Sprint Weekend Tweaks for 2024

The 2024 Formula 1 season will see a tweak to the Sprint weekend format. The key difference between the Friday qualifying session and the Saturday Shootout will be in the timings. A second qualifying session, previously held on Saturday morning, will be replaced with a shorter session that will determine the grid for the Sprint.

The Sprint weekend format was introduced in 2022, with Qualifying, previously known as the Shootout, moved to Friday afternoon ahead of the Sprint itself. The Sprint Shootout sets the grid for the F1 Sprint, which takes place over one-third of the race distance or approximately 100km.

The revised format for 2024 will see the second qualifying session, SQ2, replaced by a shorter session. SQ1 and SQ3 will remain unchanged, lasting 12 and 10 minutes, respectively. The new session will likely be shorter than SQ2, which currently lasts 15 minutes, allowing teams and drivers to focus on preparing for the Sprint.

The aim of the revised format is to provide teams with more time to prepare for the Sprint and the main race. It also allows for a more compact schedule over the Sprint weekend, with less track time dedicated to qualifying sessions.

The revised format is expected to provide increased excitement and unpredictability to the Sprint weekends, as teams and drivers will have to adapt to the shorter qualifying session. The changes will also allow fans to experience more action on track during the weekend.