Formula 1 has unveiled the details of its fresh sprint weekend structure, as well as modifications to DRS activation and power unit allocations.
During sprint race weekends, Friday will now consist of practice one and sprint race qualifying, instead of FP1 and grand prix qualifying.
The sprint race will then kick off the on-track F1 action on Saturday, effectively concluding the sprint component of the weekend.
The schedule for the weekend will be as follows:
🔘 Friday: FP1 + sprint qualifying
🔘 Saturday: Sprint race + GP qualifying
🔘 Sunday: Grand prix
Qualifying for the grand prix will take place after the completion of the sprint race on Saturday, with the grand prix itself still scheduled for Sunday.
This marks the third adjustment to F1’s sprint format in the four seasons since its introduction, following discussions about potential format changes throughout 2023.
The Chinese Grand Prix, making its return for the first time since 2019, will host the first sprint race of the year. Additional sprints will take place in Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil, and Qatar.
In addition to the changes in the sprint format, it has been announced that DRS will now be activated at the end of the first lap, rather than the second lap. The same applies when the race restarts after a safety car period.
Furthermore, each driver will now be allocated four power units per year for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, an increase from the previous three.