F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali open to more sprint races

• Domenicali says that F1 won’t return to race weekends without sprints
• Six sprints have been held every season since 2023 after being introduced in 2021

Formula One president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali has revealed that he is targeting more sprint events for the series.

Introduced at three Grands Prix in 2021, there have been six sprints held every season since 2023. Now, Domenicali is looking at further expansion for the short-format races, especially due to the increased footfall that would bring for promoters.

“I’m ready to discuss … more sprints, and this is what I see as a request from the promoters who want to have it because … they want to change the number [of attendees] on Friday,” Domenicali told The Race F1 Podcast.

“But ready to discuss if there are new formats, new ideas? We are open for that because I think that’s the right thing to listen to our fans, to try to create something, and not to be worried to do mistakes. The one who believes to do no mistakes doesn’t do anything new.”

One new idea is the prospect of reversed grids for sprints, something that the majority of Formula One teams and drivers have been opposed to since they were first floated. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel infamously called the concept “complete bullshit” in a post-race interview in 2019.

Domenicali claims that this resistance has softened, but it remains to be seen whether this feeling is reflected among the current crop of drivers. The Race also polled its followers on YouTube about their thoughts on sprint events, and 44 per cent voted to see them abolished entirely. Regardless of that sentiment, Domenicali is sure that there will be no return to race weekends without sprints.

“What is not avoidable [sic] is to go back to a normal racing weekend – I think the sprint, whatever will be the right format, we need to have it and it will represent the future,” he said.

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With MotoGP now part of the Formula One family under Liberty Media, Formula One could follow its two-wheeled counterpart and introduce sprints at every race weekend – something that Domenicali is not entirely against.

“I’m not saying no, but I think that between six and 24, we have to do steps into the middle,” he explained.

The Italian also has high hopes for fruitful collaboration between Formula One and MotoGP now both are under the Liberty umbrella. 

“I think that it’s a good opportunity for our shareholders to have the two top platforms of the motorsport world,” said Domenicali.

“And I think that our duty is to make sure that we give our experience to our fans of Dorna. As you know, I have an incredible relationship with Carmelo Ezpeleta [chief executive of Dorna Sports] and his people and his son Carlos and everyone there.

“And we can also learn something from them, because what I hate is to think that we are the best and the others are not the best. So, we’re going to share a lot of information, we’re going to make sure that everyone is… the entire way of managing the business is able to learn.

“And definitely, there will be synergies that we can work together in which we develop. And we will start working, because as you know, that acquisition has been formalised just a couple of weeks ago.”