In response to Lewis Hamilton’s call for an F1 rule change, Martin Brundle sides with Max Verstappen.
Martin Brundle has weighed in on a controversial topic which divides Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Martin Brundle believes the format of F1’s sprint weekends should be changed after it failed to add to the drama at the United States Grand Prix. Max Verstappen has publicly underlined his opposition to sprint weekends on a number of recent occasions, while others such as Lewis Hamilton have enjoyed them slightly more.
Drivers only have an hour of practice on Friday before qualifying begins a few hours later, per the current format. After Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s cars were disqualified from the United States Grand Prix for running too low, it has been hypothesized that a lack of practice prevented teams from gathering enough data.
There is no question that the sprint format events put the teams under a lot of pressure, and generally, we don’t get particularly positive feedback from them, according to Brundle, who has since insisted that F1’s decision-makers need to change things beginning with the 2019 season.
With just one practice session before the specification and set-up is locked in by Parc FermÄ— rules, especially at a relatively unknown circuit like Lusail in Qatar, or a bumpy circuit such as COTA in Austin, this leaves them underprepared, which is far from ideal with such complex cars.”
Brundle went on to suggest that a new format would improve the racing spectacle by allowing teams to fully prepare their cars, adding: “With two qualifying sessions and two races to come, some drivers were consigned to a difficult car for the rest of the weekend [after practice on Friday].
“This is not ideal or necessary, and while I don’t like us to keep messing with the format, we must make some changes for next season and beyond. It’s too much of a lottery which has far reaching consequences.”
Verstappen, who has triumphed in three of the season’s five sprints, has been open about his dislike of the unpopular format in recent media interviews. Hamilton, on the other hand, appears to hold a different perspective after calling the shortened races “fun.”
After the sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, the Briton said, “For us, it’s fun because chasing offers a little bit of a different perspective.
“I enjoy it, for me. The additional chance to go out there and try to get the most out of the resources we have is something I enjoy. It might be improved. I’m confident we can improve.
“I think it’s been thrilling for people, so I personally quite like the sprint weekends, particularly a Friday I really like where you only have one practice session and then you’re right into qualifying,” the author said.
