Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg fear for tradition if a second race is created, but Lewis Hamilton welcomes prospect of a race weekend overhaul for next year
Thursday 9 July 2015 14:26, UK
F1's leading drivers have expressed mixed views about the possible creation of a Saturday sprint race from 2016.
It emerged at the British GP that the Strategy Group has discussed the idea of changing the sport’s weekend schedule from next season, with the prospect of a qualifying race one proposal put forward in addition to an event for third drivers.
Aside from several tweaks to the rules of the three-part qualifying session, F1’s format has remained unchanged since 2006 with two practice sessions on Friday followed by final practice and qualifying on Saturday and then the main grand prix on Sunday.
1996 world champion and Sky F1 expert Damon Hill has already voiced his opposition to the creation of any second race, and opinion appears split among the current field of drivers.
“I love racing, but I'm very traditional on some things so I'm not in favour of it," Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel declared.
"I think a grand prix should be a grand prix. I know that the talk’s only of a qualy race, but I think it would take some of the spectacle for Sunday. I think we have different issues to solve and think about rather than implementing a race on Saturday."
In reference to the FIA's pre-season clampdown on drivers changing their crash helmet colours, Vettel then joked: "Maybe we should think about the real problems - like helmet designs!"
Nico Rosberg reckoned the sport's powerbrokers were right to have a look into such ideas, but also expressed concern that two races would be out of step with tradition.
"DTM just did it and I think it was quite successful for them - it just gives more to the fans. We're all here anyway, so it is something to look into I suppose. Why not?" the Mercedes driver said.
"The only thing is I find it a big pity because it goes away from the Formula 1 tradition. That’s the biggest thing that would bother me.
"It's like doing all of a sudden seven Grand Slams in tennis. That would really bother people as tennis has been four Grand Slams for 50 years and it should stay like that. So that’s what we need to be a bit careful about."
World champion Lewis Hamilton, however, enthusiastically welcomed talk of an overhaul having only experienced the current format since entering F1 in 2007.
"I'd be very, very happy for it to change. It’s been the same weekend for nine years,” he said. "Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday exactly the same so I'd be very, very happy for them to muddle it up in some way if we can make it more exciting," Hamilton admitted.
"If this format is the same for the next seven years, I don't think I could take that!"
Meanwhile, McLaren's Fernando Alonso, one of the few drivers left on the grid who experienced numerous changes in the mid-2000s as the sport experimented with several qualifying systems, said drivers would simply get used to whatever challenge was put in front of them.
"I think we need to wait and see what is the final decision," the Spaniard told Sky Sports News HQ.
"At the moment, there's only rumours, so we’ll see what comes out of the decisions and we will adapt to anything."
