Red Bull struggler Sergio Perez calls for GP sprint changes
Red Bull struggler Sergio Perez has called for a major change to the Grand Prix sprint format after finishing third in Saturday’s race in Brazil. Perez, who has struggled for form in recent times and has won just four Grands Prix over the last two years, says it would be “interesting” to start sprint races with a reverse grid.
“I think if they want to keep this format of the sprint races, we’ve got to change it,” Perez told reporters on Saturday. “I would propose a reverse grid, something that can make it more interesting for the fans because I don’t think it’s doing what we want to achieve.
“Nothing really happens in this sort of race. I think [a reversed grid] will mix up things and create more opportunities, a lot more overtaking. If we want to keep this format, [we should] give it a go on something quite different, because I think for the last two years this sort of event hasn’t brought a lot of good racing.”
The sprint format was introduced to F1 in 2021 and was expanded from three races to six ahead of this season. The event no longer impacts qualifying positions for the main Grand Prix but does return points for the top eight finishers.
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A whole host of F1 drivers have spoken out against the sprint event in the past, and three-time champion Max Verstappen has been scathing in his assessment of the format. “Just a normal race weekend, please, thank you,” Verstappen told media in Brazil when asked about what changes he would like to see in the sport. “I’m not interested in any changes – I don’t like it (the sprint format).”
And he later explained: “They just do whatever they want. I think it’s just making stuff up because they don’t really know what to do. That bothers me anyway. Why does the sport suddenly have to be different? Other sports don’t change their rules all the time either. I don’t get all that. It’s all about making as much money as possible. I don’t like it at all.”
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Saturday’s sprint race in Brazil ended with Verstappen claiming first place ahead of McLaren ace Lando Norris. The Dutchman started from second but secured victory with a 4.287 second buffer.
Meanwhile, Mercedes genius George Russell finished in fourth, with Ferrari maestro Charles Leclerc in fifth. And Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz were sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.
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