Max Verstappen and George Russell were two of the drivers who voiced their opinions during the Italian Grand Prix regarding Formula One’s proposal to hold a rookie sprint race at the conclusion of this season.
George Russell has supported a Formula 1 plan to hold an additional race just for rookie drivers, but not all of his fellow racers are on board.
To give young drivers more experience in the sport, Formula One chiefs have proposed to hold a Sprint race following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which is the post-season tyre test. It would be broadcast on television and open to drivers who have competed in two or fewer Formula One Grands Prix.
The strategy will be covered at the F1 Commission meeting the following month. The original plan is for this year to mark the first such event, though that may present logistical challenges.
However, it was brought up during the media day before this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, and drivers were asked what they thought of the concept. Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association Russell was one of the supporters.
The Mercedes driver remarked, “To be honest, I really quite like the idea. The rookie FP1 sessions always give me mixed emotions because they’re extremely difficult unless you’ve done a lot of F1 testing. I recall my first Formula One race with Force India.
“I had only participated in two days of Formula One testing before that, and I had never visited Sao Paulo. I felt like I was thrown into the deep end, and during those two laps—three of which were on brand-new tires—there was a lot of scrutiny. However, a chance for inexperienced drivers to test for the entire day before jumping right into a sprint race weekend. I believe it’s a wise decision.”
However, Max Verstappen hinted that following a 24-race main season, there wouldn’t be much of an interest. “I don’t think everyone is excited after the final race,” the Red Bull racer remarked. Then on Tuesday, another race… Put rookies in the car, really, if you want to give them a chance.”
Oliver Bearman, a rookie for Haas the upcoming season, will be the team principal, and Komatsu stated that the additional race would “make it worth staying behind [in Abu Dhabi] for.” However, Andy Stevenson, the manager of the Aston Martin team, stated that a race involving 20 cars would not be feasible until 2025 at the latest.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali made it apparent this week when he unveiled the plan that he wants to see more young drivers operate F1 cars. He declared: “The idea of holding a sprint race in Abu Dhabi for young drivers is currently being discussed.
“We are considering how to provide youth with the chance to excel and acquire experience in the Yas Marina test—not just by driving during the test, but also in a competitive setting. It would undoubtedly benefit their training, which aims to get them ready for the next phase. By the end of September, we will have a thorough discussion to determine the viability of this concept.”
Leave a Reply