F1 Sprint Race Update - What We Know So Far

Formula 1 is currently in talks with teams to try and get "Saturday Sprint Qualifying" to be apart of some race weekends in 2021.

F1 boss Stefano Domenicali wants teams to agree to sprint races by this weekends race at Imola. Teams will be given less time to practice and more on track action with the plan being that the sprint races will be on the British, Italian and Brazillian Grand Prix weekends.

As for pole positon for Sundays main race, "It's very simple: for the statistics, the pole position goes to the driver who wins the qualifying (sprint) race on Saturday. And there is only one winner, and he will be crowned on Sunday. We don't want this format for every GP in the future. Only some selected events. - Not too many, but let's see if it works first" said Domenicali. The finishing order will also make up the grid for Sundays Grand Prix.

A finance package has also been agreed with teams complaining that sprint races will cost them more money than running in qualifying. This became a concern with crashes more likely to happen and the factor of a cost cap coming into play this season. F1 is reported to be giving teams an extra $500,000 to cover the expenses of racing on a Saturday.

Red Bull team priniciple Christian Horner said: “There just has to be a sensible allowance that takes that into account, because we’re chasing £10,000, £20,000, £30,000 savings at the moment to ensure that we’re hitting the cap."