The tug of war has started, and it is coming right down to the final pull from both ends. Which tug of war, you may ask? The battle between the split drivers to decide the sprint weekend format: whether to proceed with the older one or have a new one that has only one practice session. While we aren’t sure about the current standing of the teams ahead of the voting today, we surely know where most of the drivers stand. And McLaren driver Oscar Piastri stands in support of the new weekend.

Coming in as a rookie with recent experience in Formula 2 and Formula 3 compared to the rest of the grid, Piastri finds a resounding similarity with the proposed changes to those in the feeder series. The Australian wants the changes to come in as he sees the positives but also remains cautious of the possible damages that the teams could endure.

The proposed changes include separate qualifying for both the sprint and main races; the results of all will remain mutually exclusive. It would mean more action, more crashes, and more speed. We have seen Max Verstappen oppose the changes, but Piastri has voiced his strong support despite the team’s understandable nervousness.

As quoted by the Speed Cafe, he said, “If they (F1) do go ahead with that plan (to change the weekend format), I think that’s probably better. The way it is at the moment – not that I’ve done one – but it kind of just looks like there are two races that are more or less the same,” he said, laying out his nervousness about lesser practice.”

“Whatever happens in the sprint race doesn’t affect the main race, and I think that will be better for the entertainment and (you will) be able to take more risks. Obviously at Baku, a street circuit, there is the potential for carnage, but if they were to go with that format then I’d been pretty happy with that,” he added, making his argument in support of the new format.

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The vote for the changes will take place today. It will determine the fate of the sprint weekends and possibly the sport from next year on, depending on the reception of the new format.

Oscar Piastri in sync with his teammate Lando Norris

The two superstars have been put alongside each other to increase the competition. The team hopes that the fierce battle between them could spark something for them. And though that might not have happened yet, their thoughts are definitely coming along just fine.

Lando Norris’s view on the new sprint format was a perfect match for his teammates. Complimenting the zero connection between the two racing sessions, he said, “You’re just a bit afraid to do anything too much in the first one (sprint) and it can quite easily ruin your Sunday, and I don’t think that’s the point of what it should be. It’s more just to add entertainment for the viewers and for the fans, and we obviously have an extra race, so I look forward to it.”

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The grid itself appears to be split over the changes. However, it is believed they are bound to come sooner or later, along with a push for more sprint races to increase the action value.