The primary of six dash weekends this yr takes place this weekend on the .
The dash was first launched in 2021 at Silverstone as a approach of creating extra classes over the course of the weekend aggressive, with the goal of driving curiosity in . In 2021 and 2022, there have been three sprints a yr.
The 2023 season launched a brand new format. The variety of dash races have been doubled to 6, whereas Saturday was designed ‘dash day’ – with a brand new “dash shootout” qualifying session figuring out the grid for the dash race.
As well as, the results of the dash race had no bearing on the on Sunday.
Nonetheless, the format was tweaked once more in 2024 in order that dash qualifying passed off on Friday afternoon as a substitute of grand prix qualifying.
How does the dash race work?
The F1 Fee and the authorised a to the dash format final yr.
The order of play sees the ‘dash qualifying’ happen on Friday afternoon as a substitute of a second observe session, with conventional qualifying in its standard spot on Saturday afternoon.
It means there will probably be only one observe session over the course of the weekend, whereas Saturday is now not designated as a ‘dash day’.
The results of the Saturday morning dash – a 100km sprint, roughly a 3rd of the gap of the grand prix – won’t impression the grid for Sunday. Factors will probably be awarded to the top-eight, as was the case in 2023 and 2024.
The dash race outcome won’t have any impression on the grand prix qualifying on Saturday or the grand prix on Sunday.
Dash qualifying will observe the identical Q1-Q2-Q3 format however the session occasions will probably be shorter than conventional qualifying: SQ1 (medium tyres) will probably be 12 minutes, SQ2 (medium tyres) will probably be 10 minutes and SQ3 (gentle tyres) will probably be eight minutes.
SPRINT WEEKEND FORMAT
Friday: Free Follow 1; dash qualifying (for Saturday’s dash race)
Saturday: Dash race (High-eight obtain factors, end order has no impression on grand prix grid); Grand Prix qualifying
Sunday: Grand Prix
What number of factors are on supply within the dash race?
P1 – Eight factors
P2 – Seven factors
P3 – Six factors
P4 – 5 factors
P5 – 4 factors
P6 – three factors
P7 – two factors
P8 – one level
What number of dash races are there this season?
In addition to China, 5 different venues will host a dash weekend: Miami, Belgium, USA, Brazil and Qatar.
