MotoGP shows why sprint races won't fix F1's fundamental problem

You’ve got to admit, in a sport that was reluctant to change for so long, that’s damn impressive.

But is it going to be any good? That’s where the real praise – or otherwise – is going to come from.

Domenicali is clearly a fan of the format change, but to be fair it’s not just him who was pushing for it. In fact, as Williams team principal James Vowles pointed out recently: “There was a very good meeting where myself and other team principals sat down and discussed ‘What would be good for the sport?’ And it really was that level of discussion, a discussion that I don’t think could have been held that way five years ago because it was all about individuals and what’s best for your team back then?”

But there were warnings from Vowles too, that if changes aren’t handled correctly then there’s a risk a new format “completely destroys the remainder of the race weekend”.

That’s led to a huge amount of back-and-forth between the teams, the FIA and F1 as the latter two request feedback and votes on specific items to try and gauge the expectation for what the impact will be, before today’s unanimous decision to implement the standalone Saturday.

Simulations are one thing, but at a time when F1’s calendar has become so condensed (the past few weeks excepted), there isn’t time to do real-life tests of changes of this sort of scale. It’s pretty much trial and error. Remember elimination qualifying anyone?

So now we have the ‘sprint shootout’ (another qualifying session) that adds up to half an hour of track action, and a race that’s usually no more than 30 minutes. In other words, for more competitive sessions, there’s now barely an hour’s track time on a Saturday.

That’s not going to be an unforeseen issue – it’s a trade-off between an hour-long practice session with largely mundane circulation or a race – but there could be others that are currently not predicted.

MotoGP went big with its sprint race programme this year, adding it to every race on the calendar. Fewer practice sessions and one qualifying that sets the grid for both races was similarly designed to make sure there was something riding on every day of the weekend, but as our MotoGP correspondent Mat Oxley can explain a lot better than I can, that only works if you have good racing.

F1’s midfield has been really exciting, but essentially Red Bull has six more opportunities to win races at this point. The idea that drivers have been settling for position in the past because they don’t want to risk their Sunday starting spot doesn’t negate the fact that the fastest car wins if all goes to form.

In MotoGP, the opening two sprint races were full of action as riders risked everything knowing they needed to make quick progress and ride flat out for the full Saturday event. But with so many ending up in hospital and the points return still a lot less than Sunday’s GP, the third round in Austin saw an apparent change in approach, as the payoff just wasn’t worth the potential pain. The action dropped away, and it was hardly in front of a massive crowd.

Now there’s a big difference between MotoGP and F1 given how injuries are thankfully far more scarce in the latter, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks. While crashing in the sprint – or sprint shootout – might not impact a driver’s chances in the main event (enough damage could, of course), it will come with a financial cost.

And while the budget cap was increased to take into account sprint damage, surely if you can only chase a maximum of eight points, and need to be a top eight finisher to score, Saturday is not the day to potentially pick up a six- or seven-figure repair bill.

My gut feeling is that without a more competitive fight at the front, the sprint won’t feel quite as exciting as it could be, but perhaps I’ll be proven wrong. On the whole I prefer to have more competitive sessions than practice, but not every week.

The way a race weekend builds during a ‘normal’ weekend, so there is great anticipation come lights out on Sunday, is diluted a little during a sprint event, and the same has been true during MotoGP’s first three rounds. Even if each F1 sprint is a great success this year, the fact it’s different could well be playing a part.

Domenicali’s baby steps have brought what could be a welcome variation to the format at certain races across the year, but if those steps continue to the point that the sprint schedule becomes the norm at every venue, then there’s a chance the weekend as a whole just lacks the crescendo that made grand prix racing so special

MotoGP’s the proving ground this year, and F1 needs to be watching closely.