Six F1 Sprint races announced for 2023 season
F1 has announced that there will be a full six sprint races for weekends across the 2023 F1 season and indeed where they will be taking place. Get ready for racing Saturdays at Baku (28th -30th April), Red Bull Ring (30th June-2nd July), Spa (28th-30th July), Qatar (6th-8th October), COTA (20th-22nd October) and Interlagos (3rd-5th November).
These track selections are far from random, with F1 looking closely into what makes a circuit good for a sprint race. The goal overall is close racing with good overtaking opportunities, and these circuits have been deemed most appropriate this year for the sprint format given that criteria.
While Interlagos continues for a third year after featuring sprints in 2021 and 2022, Silverstone, Monza and Imola are all past hosts who miss out. Red Bull Ring featured a sprint back in July during the 2022 season.
F1 has made some adjustments to the financial regulations around sprint races too, acknowledging the added pressure they bring given the tighter cost caps. For next year the cost cap allowance for each sprint will double, from $150,000 to $300,000. That said, there will no longer be allowances for damage sustained to the cars during sprints.
“The introduction of the F1 Sprint has created a race weekend that includes three days of competitive racing action and brings more entertainment to fans of the sport as well as additional value for key stakeholders including teams, broadcasters, partners, and host venues,” said F1 president and CEO, Stefano Domenicali.
“We can’t wait to bring even more action to fans with six events next year, including our first US F1 Sprint in Austin.”
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
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F1 2023
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