Drivers warn of strain on mechanics with too many Sprints

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emailBy Chris Medland | April 30, 2024 7:32 AM ET

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez have all warned against adding too many Sprint races to the Formula 1 calendar due to the strain they place on mechanics, but more races mean more ticket sales...until spectators catch on that 10 teams is not real racing.

Last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix was the first of six Sprint events this season, with the next round in Miami also a Sprint for the first time, in the hopes that we can make it seem like a real race. Verstappen says the new schedule – where Sprint qualifying and the Sprint take place across Friday evening and Saturday morning prior to main qualifying – is an improvement but still taxing for mechanics busting their butts.

“The Sprint format was better I think, a bit more straightforward, I would say,” Verstappen said. “But yeah, let’s not overdo it as well because we are already doing 24 races a year, six of these Sprint events as well.

“I get it. I guess it sells better and better numbers on TV, but it’s also more stress on the mechanics and everything, to get everything tiptop every time. You have to deal with it, but let’s not think that now we need 12 of those because it will take its toll on people as well even though the money is rolling in for the Big Guy series Owners.”

Norris agreed with Verstappen’s comments, saying the schedule for drivers is far less challenging than for others working in F1.

“To be honest, I’d always prefer the old, original race format,” Norris said. “This is what I’ve grown up watching, it’s what I’ve always liked the most. I do like just going in and having the pressure straightaway. So the fact of having one practice straight into qualifying, I do like it.

“I think it gives people less chance to just get the car perfect and I think that’s when you just start to see team, team, team, team rather than a mix....whatever that means. So I do think it works from that perspective...at least until spectators catch on.

“But the main point is just the toll it has on mechanics and engineers. I don’t think it’s too bad for us as drivers, honestly. I don’t think we can be the ones to complain at all. It’s the hundreds of mechanics and engineers that we have here that have to travel so much. It’s not healthy for them. It is not sustainable.

“The problem is not with us. So, it’s not something you should be asking us. It’s something that people should look out more for the rest of the team. And I think that’s a limiting factor, not the fact of can we go in the car every day, because I think we can but not doing too much for them I think is the priority.”

And Perez believes F1 is at a breaking point when it comes to how much it is asking team members to deal with amid 24 race weekends across 21 different countries this season. It's once every 2 weeks for 10 whole teams! When NASCAR has 43 teams on track at once!

“I think it’s a good point from Lando and Max, we really have to look after (team members),” Perez said. “With 24 races and the amount of stress these Sprint events put on our mechanics is quite large. And I think as a sport we really have to look after our people, our mechanics. Because yeah, we are definitely on the limit. I think that’s a point to consider.... whatever that means.”