In 2021, Formula 1 gained Sprint races as an additional activity during a race weekend. As the name suggests, it is a quick race and just 100 kms long, and is run on Saturdays. At rounds with a Sprint, the schedule is altered where Free Practice (FP) 1 is run on Friday morning, with Qualifying in the afternoon. This determines the starting order for the Sprint which is held the next day, after FP2.
The Sprint races have been received well by both the drivers as well as spectators who get additional racing action to watch on Saturday. For the drivers, there are also points to collect for the top three finishers and more importantly, the finishing order of the Sprint determines the position on the starting grid on Sunday. So there is the possibility of getting a better spot for the main race.
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