Fernando Alonso expressed frustration over the sprint shootout format after feeling at a “big disadvantage” during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. The Aston Martin driver had to qualify on used tires due to a lack of new soft tires available to him.
The rules for the sprint shootout dictate that medium tires are mandatory for the first two sessions, while soft tires are mandatory for the final session (SQ3). However, this requirement was waived when the track was declared wet on Saturday morning.
As a result, many drivers took the opportunity to run on soft tires in the first two sessions to secure their spot in the final shootout. However, Alonso, who had used all his new soft tires in Friday’s qualifying session, had to qualify on used tires or new mediums.
Alonso and his teammate Lance Stroll qualified on the fourth row for the sprint shootout, but the two-time World Champion believes that even achieving that was challenging without new tires.
Alonso hopes to see changes made to the sprint format in the future, considering it is the first year of its current format. He expressed dissatisfaction with the rules, particularly in situations where wet conditions allow for any dry tires to be used. He believes that not having new tires put drivers at a significant disadvantage, especially for those who performed well in qualifying and reached the top 10.
While acknowledging that this year is a test to improve the format, Alonso emphasized the importance of being in a competitive position in the World Championship and the need to address the issue of using old tires in qualifying when a driver has performed well in the previous session.
Alonso’s comments highlight the challenges and potential drawbacks of the current sprint shootout format, and his feedback may contribute to discussions on potential changes for future races.
