The fourth race weekend of the season is fast approaching and we travel to Imola, where the first of three sprint races take place.
Ahead of the weekend, let's go through what the rules of these sprint races are, and what has changed since they were introduced in 2021.
THE RUN DOWN
SPRINT RACES NOW TO RUN FOR 100KM ON ANY GIVEN TRACK
POINTS NOW AWARDED TO THE TOP EIGHT DRIVERS, STARTING FROM P1 RECEIVING EIGHT POINTS, AND P8 RECEIVING ONE
ONLY TWO PRACTICE SESSIONS NOW ON SPRINT WEEKENDS, MAKING TIME THAT MUCH MORE VALUABLE TO FINE TUNE THEIR CARS
ON SPRINT WEEKENDS, POLE POSITION WILL NOW BE AWARDED TO THE FASTEST MAN IN QUALIFYING, NOT THE WINNER OF THE SPRINT
THE SPRINT STILL MAINTAINS THAT NO MANDATORY PIT STOPS NEED TO BE MADE
FRIDAY
PRACTICE ONE
QUALIFYING
SATURDAY
PRACTICE TWO
SPRINT RACE
SUNDAY
RACE DAY
Subtle but significant adjustments to this years sprint races, where finishing in P1 could make a substantial difference to a team's fortunes during the weekend.
Perhaps for a team like Red Bull, who surprisingly have struggled with reliability issues so far, the F1 sprint race at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix could be a great opportunity to gather some vital points, to help boost them up the rankings in both the Driver's and Constructor's Championship.
Despite receiving a mixed response when they were introduced to Formula One, they have certainly provided great drama, and most importantly have showcased elite racing, particularly when we think back to what Lewis Hamilton was able to do at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last year, making up 15 places in the sprint.
So if a team like Red Bull or a driver like Max Verstappen can get a good result in qualifying, gaining anywhere from eight to five points would be significant in their bid to chase Ferrari, even if they are far behind this early on on.
No matter what happens, the Sprint is sure to provide another dimension to the race weekend, and it may very well provide opportunities for drivers and teams to gain a good chunk of points, that they of course would not have been possible in any other regular weekend.
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