Standstill is not allowed in Formula 1. That’s why the premier class of motorsport is making changes – in the racing calendar or in the sprints.
Sakhir – Formula 1 wants to conquer Las Vegas. This year there will be a Grand Prix in the gambling city for the first time. It’s not the only innovation in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Six sprint races
From three to six. Formula 1 doubles the number of sprint races for this season. The premier class of motorsport will hold the mini-events over 100 kilometers each in Baku (Azerbaijan), Spielberg (Austria), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Doha (Qatar), Austin (USA) and São Paulo (Brazil). The sprint is intended to provide additional spectacle and changes the weekend format at the Grand Prix. The usual qualification with the three knockout rounds will take place on Friday. The result of this unit is the basis for the sprint lineup the next day. There is free choice of tires in the mini-event on Saturday, pit stops are not mandatory. Of course there are also points. The result of the sprint determines the starting grid for the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Third USA race in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is supposed to be a mega spectacle – and nothing less. After Miami (Florida) and Austin (Texas), it is the third USA race on the calendar. Driving will take place on November 18th in the state of Nevada. The contract was signed until the end of 2025, but the organizers have already received the green light until the end of 2032. Formula 1 also digged deep into its pockets for the trip across the legendary Las Vegas Strip, the notorious section of Las Vegas Boulevard with its dazzling casino hotels. Land was purchased for a reported $240 million to build a pit facility and guest areas.
Revised roll bars
It was a horror crash. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) flew headfirst into the safety fence at Silverstone in 2022. In response, the roll bars were revised to provide more safety. The titanium protection must have a rounded top so that it does not dig into the ground and trap the car in the event of an accident.
Stripped cars
The cars had to slim down. The minimum weight has been reduced from 798 to 796 kilograms (without fuel). Many teams therefore do without painted surfaces on their cars, which would be unnecessarily heavy. The cure with the bare carbon fiber skin at Mercedes can be seen most vividly. Black makes thin.
Tire rule in qualifying
Formula 1 will test a slightly different qualification system for up to two races. A new tire rule is to be used, which is intended to reduce the number of tire sets in the interests of sustainability. The usual format with three knockout rounds remains, but the rubber bands are prescribed. The hard compound in the first run, the medium in the second and finally the soft in the third. Drivers are also not allowed to use more than eleven sets of slicks on these weekends, otherwise 13 are allowed.
Changes to the sub-floor
So-called porpoising should finally be history. In the past season, the teams still had to struggle with this technical problem, in which the cars were pressed onto the ground at high speed on the straights until they briefly touched the asphalt and were pushed up again. After adjustments had already been made in 2022, the outer edges of the car underbodies, among other things, have now been raised by 15 millimeters. This should allow the accumulated air under the car to be better discharged.
