Formula 1 (F1) teams have rejected a late attempt by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to close an unexpected loophole in the tyre rules for the revised sprint format. The new standalone ‘Sprint Shootout’ will determine the grid for the sprint itself on Saturday, with mandatory tyre sets having to be used in SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3 respectively – mediums for SQ1 and SQ2, softs for SQ3.
However, the rule in its current form does not oblige F1 teams to keep a new set of soft tyres for Saturday’s shortened qualifying format for the sprint. The regulation states that “up to one set of dry-weather tyres may be used” in the period SQ3 of the sprint shootout, and that this must only be a new set of the soft specification.
This inadvertently allows teams who are not anticipating making it through to Q3 or SQ3 in normal circumstances to use all their new sets of soft tyres in Friday’s ‘standard’ qualifying session. This also allows drivers to make it through to SQ3 and not take part if they do not carry over a new set of softs.
The FIA organised a vote among the teams on Friday to try and close the loophole in the rule, but the F1 teams rejected the last-minute change despite provisions being in place to allow temporary changes to rules on sprint weekends if eight teams vote to approve them.
The rejected vote means teams can take advantage of the rule, allowing them to use extra sets of softs in ‘standard’ qualifying, at a cost of having to stay in the garage in SQ3 if they make it that far. This can provide an advantage to teams who need to use multiple sets of tyres to advance from Q1.
The Q1/Q2/Q3 format used in qualifying carries over into the Sprint Shootout, with sessions shortened as follows: SQ1 – 12 minutes (medium tyres mandatory), SQ2 – 10 minutes (medium tyres mandatory), and SQ3 – 8 minutes (soft tyres mandatory). As with ‘regular’ qualifying, five drivers will be eliminated at the end of SQ1 and SQ2, leaving the final 10 drivers to set the front slots on the grid for the sprint on Saturday afternoon.
Although the F1 teams rejected the proposal, the FIA and the teams can discuss the rule again before the next sprint takes place in Austria in July. The outcome of the vote is likely to spark debate and speculation among F1 fans and pundits alike.
