What is the Sprint Shootout? Formula 1’s newest race format explained

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The F1 season is back underway after a spring break, and Formula 1 fans have been treated to a new format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: The Sprint Shootout.

An announcement from Formula 1 ahead of the race in Baku with all the details ahead of Saturday’s first Sprint race of the season.

What is the Sprint Shootout?

The Sprint Shootout is a new feature for F1 race weekends in 2023, and it will take place on Saturdays.

It starts with a qualifying session that’s separate from traditional qualifying which has been moved to Fridays when there’s a Sprint Race.

The Sprint Shootout will also consist of three parts, with each phase shorter than the standard qualifying sessions.

Sprint Qualifying 1 (also known as SQ1) will run for 12 minutes, SQ2 for 10 minutes and SQ3 for eight minutes.

Drivers will need to change tyres between each phase, with mediums required for SQ1 and SQ2 and softs for SQ3.

Whoever records the fastest lap during the eight-minute SQ3 session will start on pole later that day for the F1 Sprint race.

The new tyre rule may already be causing issues for some drivers on the grid though.

If Lando Norris or Yuki Tsunoda qualify for SQ3, they won’t be allowed to participate.

That’s because they have already used every set of their soft tyres, meaning they can’t put a new set on for the final qualifying session as required.

The F1 Sprint race is a shorter race than the Grand Prix, and it will take place over a distance of 100km, or 17 laps in Baku.

The Sprint Shootout will be a standalone feature of the race weekend, and the outcome will bear no impact on the grid for the Grand Prix itself.

How many points are scored in the Sprint Shootout?

Although the format of qualifying for the race has changed, the points system for Sprint races has stayed the same as last season.

The winner will receive eight points, second place will earn seven points, all the way down to a single point for 8th place.

Both the teams and the drivers will benefit from these points in their respective championships.

What time is the Sprint Shootout at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the UK?

The Sprint Shootout takes place on Saturday, 29 April 2023. It will start at 12:30pm local time in Baku, which is 9:30am in the UK.

The F1 Sprint race will take place later that day at 5:30pm local time, which is 1:30pm in the UK.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the first event of the 2023 season with this format, and the Baku City Circuit will suit this high-intensity racing.

The circuit is known for its high-speed straights and tight corners, which provide plenty of opportunities for overtaking.

The Baku City Circuit has been part of the F1 calendar since 2016 and has become a popular venue for fans and teams alike.

Max Verstappen will hope to extend his lead at the top of the Driver’s Championship ahead of teammate Sergio Perez.

After qualifying on pole for the main event on Sunday, Charles Leclerc will finally have the chance to get his disrupted start to the season back on track.