Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023Formula 1

[Jimlaad43]

After a 4-week gap due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, Formula 1 begins a run if 5 races in 6 weeks with the first Sprint weekend of the season in Baku. A modern classic circuit, and one of the few "Street Circuits" on the calendar actually on streets. Red Bull have 3 wins from 3 so far, with Aston Martin and Mercedes the closest to stopping them so far. Will the crazy straights and narrow sections catch Red Bull out? Will Friday qualifying give us an epic grid that the Sprint completely undoes? Have they actually worked out a plan to replace FP2 with a Sprint Qualifying? We will only find out at the AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX!

First Grand Prix
2016

Number of Laps
51

Circuit Length
6.003km

Race Distance
306.049 km

Lap Record
1:43.009
Charles Leclerc (2019)​

 

[Veinz]

New sprint format

Friday
Free Practice
Qualifying for the GP

Saturday
Qualifying for the Sprint race
Sprint Race

Sunday
Grand Prix

The teams are allocated one more ICE, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K. Going from 3 to 4.

More info on how penalties are applied and cost cap stuff in the link below.

Formula 1 confirms F1 Sprint format tweaks for 2023 season | Formula 1®

Formula 1 has confirmed adjustments to the F1 Sprint format for the six events that will be staged across the 2023 season, beginning with this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

www.formula1.com

 

[Famine]

New sprint format

Also... deep breath

"Sprint Shootout" qualifying is shorter and has mandatory tyres: Q1 is on new mediums only and 12 minutes, Q2 is also on new mediums only and 10 minutes, while Q3 is eight minutes and on new softs only.

Grid penalties earned in the Sprint Shootout apply to the Sprint not the race, and grid penalties picked up in race qualifying apply to the race not the sprint, but grid penalties picked up in the sprint itself will apply to the race. Power unit penalties also apply only to the race not the sprint, unless they're also Parc Ferme breaches, which give a pit lane start to BOTH.


Clear?

 

[Liquid]

The sprint race has no bearing on the Grand Prix so scrap it altogether.

Balls to eyes on the product.
Balls to gimmicks.
Balls to 'content'.

A waste of time, utter nonsense.

 

[Veinz]

I had absolutely zero issues with the traditional race formats. Who are these races made for? Because it seems like pretty much everyone dislikes them.

 

[Liquid]

Who are these races made for?

"Fans".

We are legacy fans. The new generation want content, not competition.

 

[Veinz]

Some interesting rumors for the weekend.

Laurent Mekies is moving to Alpha Tauri. Red Bull also said no to a $800 million offer for that team.

 

[Blitz24]

Also... deep breath

"Sprint Shootout" qualifying is shorter and has mandatory tyres: Q1 is on new mediums only and 12 minutes, Q2 is also on new mediums only and 10 minutes, while Q3 is eight minutes and on new softs only.

Grid penalties earned in the Sprint Shootout apply to the Sprint not the race, and grid penalties picked up in race qualifying apply to the race not the sprint, but grid penalties picked up in the sprint itself will apply to the race. Power unit penalties also apply only to the race not the sprint, unless they're also Parc Ferme breaches, which give a pit lane start to BOTH.


Clear?

Feels like a glorified exhibition race that is to show off the sport to fans probably already familiar with the sport. Yay!

 

[Mr Grumpy]

@Famine, Do we get points in our fantasy F1 for these Sprint races?

 

[Liquid]

Feels like a glorified exhibition race that is to show off the sport to fans probably already familiar with the sport. Yay!

This idea makes Hockenheim's stadium section look like the 1960s Nordschleife.

 

[AshenGraey]

New sprint format....cool! Now the question is are they really going to push flat out? The sprint races just seems to die out after the first 3-5 laps.

 

[Famine]

@Famine, Do we get points in our fantasy F1 for these Sprint races?

Lol no.

 

[Blitz24]

Lol no.

Just like for the drivers!

 

[ScottPuss20]

We need to scrap these sprints. The traditional format is just fine because it's easy to understand.

 

[AshenGraey]

I think they should have changed the order of the event to mix things up a bit. My idea would be FP, Sprint Qualy, Sprint Races, GP Qualy and then GP. That way we'd get to see the drivers racing each other at different time frame and possibly under different track conditions. In any case, guess we'll just have to wait to see how it turns out this weekend with that new format.

 

[Jimlaad43]

The language in this conversational article explaining the new Sprint format is appalling. Desperate to cling to the fact that this is great, it feeds the reader with false positives in the hope that you'll eventually agree with them.

EXPLAINED: Everything you need to know about the 2023 F1 Sprint format | Formula 1®

F1 Sprint is back – only this time there will be six of the events in 2023, starting with this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku Street Circuit, and the format has had a small tweak to enhance the show. Read on to find out more.

www.formula1.com

The reader is supposed to have said "Sounds Good", "Nice", "Ooh nice name" and worst "I like it". The management will probably think that this is the response 100% of fans will give to this even though responses to sprints are lukewarm at best.

This is an improvement to the Grand Prix on a Sprint Weekend, but a detriment to the Sprint itself. As someone who isn't really that keen for the Sprints to carry on, hopefully this kills the Sprints as teams lower down the order realise there literally isn't any point finishing the sprint after like 10 laps and being at the back so just park up.

 

[Liquid]

teams lower down the order realise there literally isn't any point finishing the sprint after like 10 laps and being at the back so just park up.

Fair point. Why bother with the engine mileage and gearbox wear?

 

[Famine]

Fair point. Why bother with the engine mileage and gearbox wear?

That reminds me, the engine component (ICE, MGU-H, MGU-K, T) allocations have been increased from three to four for the season.

 

[Jimlaad43]

They haven't increased Control Electronics though or Ferrari would have rights to protest the Saudi Arabia result after Leclerc's grid penalty.

 

[Blitz24]

That reminds me, the engine component (ICE, MGU-H, MGU-K, T) allocations have been increased from three to four for the season.

I'm sure the changes will keep the costs down for the teams! Either way, unless they heavily incentivize it, lower rung teams might as well start and park as @Jimlaad43 mentioned before.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Since we're stuck with it, I would've preferred if they did sprint qualifying on Friday and then GP qualifying on Saturday.

 

[Veinz]

Franz Tost is retiring at the end of the season. Laurent Mekies is his replacement.

Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team

Official website of Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team involved in the most exciting car championship in the world. Discover what's new!

scuderia.alphatauri.com

 

[ScottPuss20]

teams lower down the order realise there literally isn't any point finishing the sprint after like 10 laps and being at the back so just park up.

It'd be pretty embarrassing for F1 if half the field effectively boycott the race.

Fair point. Why bother with the engine mileage and gearbox wear?

This is why the new format is stupid. I also believe that the increase of sprint weekends goes against everything F1 stands for in terms of sustainability. You can't spruik all this net-zero ******** whilst increasing the size of the calendar and forcing teams to compete in pointless sprint races. Stick with the traditional format.

 

[MagpieRacer]

I have no real issue with the concept of sprint races, it's hardly revolutionary in motorsport terms and plenty of series' employ similar timetables and no-one has complained.

What I feel F1 are getting wrong is the format, it just needs to follow the F2 format, which works, isn't convoluted and introduces and interesting jeopardy point.

Friday: FP1, FP2
Saturday: Qualifying, Sprint Race (reverse top 10 from qualifying), points 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Sunday: Race

 

[TumeK5]

Friday: FP1, FP2
Saturday: Qualifying, Sprint Race (reverse top 10 from qualifying), points 10-8-6-7-5-4-3-2-1
Saturday: Race

What's sunday for?

 

[MagpieRacer]

What's sunday for?

Getting wildly drunk.

I meant to type Sunday but I'm meant to be working and wasn't paying attention 😅 .

 

[PaMu1337]

Who's gonna say it?
Shall I do it?


Nyck Debris

Edit: Man, that's properly stuck in the barrier

 

[MatskiMonk]

Sprint race... ppfff, terrible idea.

I firmly believe F1 should remain the absolute ****est value for money for track side fans possible. Giving fans more chance to see the cars on track... it's bloody outrage.

 

[PaMu1337]

Getting wildly drunk.

I meant to type Sunday but I'm meant to be working and wasn't paying attention 😅 .

Also your points system is interesting, with P4 scoring more than P3

 

[Jimlaad43]

This sucks, having quali on a Friday while I'm at work...