Evolution in Formula 1 is always met with resistance. Be it in terms of the technical details of the car or the format of the sport, everything becomes a point of contention. And so has been the case of sprint races, of which the reigning champion, Max Verstappen, has been a staunch critic. With more changes proposed to the format, possibly from the weekend in Baku, the Dutchman and others are now at a crossroads with the teams, as they appear to be excited about it.

The changes proposed for the sprint weekend indicate the elimination of the second free practice session to make space for the qualifying of the sprint race. Thus, there will be a practice session, two qualifying races, a sprint race, and the main GP. To this, the Red Bull driver strongly reacted. He even threatened to call it quits if the DNA of the sport was hampered a bit too much. But to our shock, the reports indicate that the teams have agreed to the proposed changes for the coming sprint races. 

A recent addition to the supporting voices is none other than a rival, i.e., the boss of Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur. As quoted by Motorsport, he said, “For sure, the format is more dynamic. You can discuss about to do it so late but at the end of the day, I think that if we are all aligned then we have to push for it.”  

“I like the format. I’m not a big fan of the usual FP2. Sometimes it’s a bit boring. Not for us, because we have a lot of data. But I can imagine for the spectators, if you don’t know about the level of fuel, the engine mode and so on, it’s probably a bit boring. To try to have something more dynamic during the weekend is a good decision.” 

READ MORE: Ferrari Boss Frederic Vasseur Joins the Bandwagon for F1’s Latest Changes Despite Max Verstappen’s Reluctance

This, along with the near confirmation of the new format, will certainly leave Max Verstappen considering his future. A star like him will make sure that his voice is heard by the authorities. Until then, the fans can stay glued to the screens for more time as all three days remain action-packed.

Max Verstappen’s boss dislikes the sprint race in Baku

Sprint weekends were increased from three in 2021 and 2022 to six this season, with Baku being the first one. A tight circuit at that, with high-speed straights, the street circuit has been a challenge for drivers on each of the five outings so far. In this round, a maximum of 16 cars have finished the race, where crashes are common.

With all this data, Christian Horner criticized Baku as a choice for the sprint weekend. As quoted by the Guardian, he said, “The reality is it’s absolutely ludicrous to be doing the first sprint race of the year in a street race like Azerbaijan. I think from a spectacle point of view, from a fan point of view, it’s probably going to be one of the most exciting sprint races of the year. From a cost cap perspective, all you can do is trash your car and it costs a lot of money around there.”

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Max Verstappen himself has only two finishes in Baku, with only one podium coming in 2022. Certainly, even with Max on his side, Horner remains concerned with the idea but is now left with no options.