Lewis Hamilton shares the next F1 rule change he wants to see after success of Sprint races

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Lewis Hamilton says F1 needs to look into changing the format of specific races like Monaco. Hamilton is a fan of Sprint races but wants the sport to think bigger.

China played host to the first Sprint of the year on Saturday, with George Russell taking victory for Mercedes ahead of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. For the fourth season in a row, there will be six Sprint events.

There were initially only three when the new format was introduced in 2021, but F1 commercial rights holders Liberty Media want to expand. There could be as many as 12 Sprint races in 2027, encompassing half the calendar.

Lewis Hamilton calls for Monaco Grand Prix format change

During the post-qualifying press conference in China, the top three were asked to share their thoughts on Sprint races and the proposed expansion. Hamilton applauded F1 bosses for addressing the ‘dull’ repetition of the calendar.

Initially, the Sprint was a qualifying session with a points incentive. The results of the race determined the starting order for the Grand Prix.

It became a separate event in 2023, with a ‘Sprint Shoot-out’ on Saturday morning to set the grid for the 100km dash. Sprint qualifying was moved back to Friday afternoon in 2024, filling the FP2 slot.

Despite these tweaks, Hamilton doesn’t think the Sprint has meaningfully ‘evolved’. He took in his only Ferrari victory to date in the shortened Shanghai race last year and is now up to seven Sprint podiums overall.

What is the perfect number of F1 Sprint races for a season?

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“I love the Sprint weekends personally,” Hamilton said. “I’ve obviously been here a long time, so I remember where we’d have the normal weekend just 18 or 20 or 24 times through the year and it was a little bit dull, and I like that we switched between the two.

“I think that since we’ve had the Sprint, we haven’t evolved it, and we should look at what’s the next step. Maybe there’s a third type that we have through a season, whether you have more qualifying or, I don’t know, I’ve not really thought about it, but is there another option?

Hamilton thinks the focus should shift to the ‘boring’ Monaco Grand Prix, which may benefit from a shake-up.

He said: “Particularly for places when we go to Monaco, which is a beautiful, beautiful place, the most beautiful place for us to go to, but the most boring race because it’s the same normal format.

“I don’t know if there could be a different format for that weekend to really be able to extract more from the amazing place that it is, the Principality. So I don’t know, I think we need to brainstorm rather than just make more Sprints.”

George Russell picks the perfect number of Sprint races for an F1 season

Russell is optimistic that Sprint races will become less ‘processional’ under the new rules after an entertaining affair in Shanghai. There was extended battle for the lead between Hamilton and the Mercedes driver.

Russell thinks F1 could find the sweet spot by doubling the Sprint calendar. Miami is next up at the start of May, immediately followed by Canada.

• READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton ‘bullied’ Lando Norris in the F1 Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix, says Sam Bird

“Yeah, I enjoy it to be honest,” he said. “I enjoy it. I don’t think you’d want it every single weekend, but yeah, doubling it, I don’t think we’re against.

“The races in the past were quite processional, but obviously what we saw this morning was pretty fun, and I think these new cars, regardless if you’ve got high tyre deg or low tyre deg, can offer quite good racing. So yeah, intrigued for the next one.”