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F1 Sprint is back on the calendar in 2023 after successful runnings in each of the last two seasons.
This season, six different sprint races will take place, with the second scheduled for before the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, which is this weekend.
In both prior seasons, only three sprint races took place. The FIA have doubled the amount this season with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali explaining the decision was taken to "create a race weekend that includes three days of competitive racing action and brings more entertainment to fans of the sport".
Some tweaks have been made for this season, however, which will see race weekends where sprint races take place change slightly in format. For all the information you need, The Sporting News is here to explain.
What is F1 Sprint?
The F1 Sprint was first launched during the 2021 season, when on three occasions the format of the racing weekend was changed.
It was confirmed by Formula 1 bosses that the new format would continue with three more races in 2022, before the decision was made this season to up the amount to six.
In essence, F1 Sprint is a condensed race which takes place over 100km (around 62 miles). Unlike prior seasons, qualifying for said race will take place on the Saturday, before the actual sprint then takes place later on the same day.
In these races, pit stops are not required to be made by drivers.
What is F1 Sprint Shootout?
The biggest change to the F1 Sprint race weekends is that there's a new session called the F1 Sprint Shootout.
In the two previous years, qualifying was moved to the Friday which was used to set the grid for Saturday's sprint race. The sprint race results would then set the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.
However this season there's a change to those proceedings. The F1 Sprint Shootout will act as a standalone qualifying session for the sprint race and will take prior to said event on the Saturday of the designated race weekend.
Interestingly, drivers have to use certain tyres in certain sessions during the Sprint Shootout.
So in SQ1 and SQ2 medium tyres must be used by all the drivers, whilst soft tyres will be used in SQ3. Those tyres all need to be new sets as well and if a driver doesn't have a new set available after qualifying the day before, they cannot take part in said Sprint Shootout qualifying session.
MORE: F1 standings 2023: Updated driver and constructor points, results and schedule
Do drivers get points in F1 Sprint?
The points system for F1 Sprint races in 2023 will stay the same way it was in 2022.
That means that eight points are handed out to the winner, seven to second place, six to third and so on down to one for the driver who finished in P8 during the condensed race.
Those points will then be added to both the World Drivers' Championship and the Constructors Championship standings.
Does F1 Sprint still decide qualifying?
Unlike previous years, the Sprint result will have no bearing on the starting grid for the Grand Prix.
In 2023, Fridays of Sprint weekends will see a single practice session take place before qualifying gets underway, which will set the starting grid for Sunday.
MORE: F1 2023 calendar: Full list of circuits, contract lengths, fastest ever lap times and more
What is the schedule for an F1 Sprint weekend?
| Session | Session |
| Friday (1) | FP1 |
| Friday (2) | Qualifying |
| Saturday (1) | F1 Sprint Shootout |
| Saturday (2) | F1 Sprint Race |
| Sunday | Grand Prix |
F1 Sprint schedule 2023
| Date | Circuit | Country | Winner |
|
April 28-30 |
Baku City Circuit | Azerbaijan | Sergio Perez |
| June 30-July 2 | Red Bull Ring | Austria | |
| July 28-30 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | Belgium | |
| October 6-8 | Losail International Circuit | Qatar | |
| October 22 | Circuit of The Americas | USA | |
| November 3-5 | Interlagos | Brazil |
Who has won the most F1 Sprint races?
Two-time world champion Max Verstappen currently leads the way in sprint race victories with three first-place finishes.
He won the debut sprint back in 2021 at Silverstone, before adding two more sprint victories during the 2022 season, at Imola and the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Valtteri Bottas has also enjoyed the sprint format as he has finished ahead of Verstappen twice, at Monza and Brazil.
George Russell became the latest to pick up a sprint victory when he claimed top spot in Brazil last term. Russell went on to win the Grand Prix, which was the first of his career and Mercedes' only win of the 2022 season.
