Formula 1’s second Sprint had “plenty of action”, according to Ross Brawn, despite the static nature of the race up front at Monza.
Lewis Hamilton bogged down to fifth, promoting Max Verstappen and the two McLaren drivers, while Pierre Gasly crashed out after tagging Daniel Ricciardo.
However after a Safety Car period to clear Gasly’s car there were no further overtakes or battles within the leading eight positions.
“We’ve got quite a different complexion on the race tomorrow than what we thought we had after qualifying, so I think it’s great in that respect,” said Brawn.
“It was a little bit quiet at the front of the grid but then you get that at races anyway.
“Plenty of action in the middle, plenty of action at the start, we had a very exciting start, so I think it’s added to the whole weekend.”
Brawn emphasised that Formula 1 chiefs want to run all three trial events before forming a definitive conclusion for 2022.
“We all know we get good and bad races,” he said.
“We might find in Brazil we have a fantastic sprint, it’s over three races we want to judge it.
“There’s probably an element in this event that drivers take a little less risk because they know they want to be there.
“It’s unfortunate Pierre had his accident but now he’s got a chance that wouldn’t have happened [if his accident was] in the race, but lots of positives that we need to work on and build for what we take into next year.”
Sounds, as usual, as if the authority wrote the report up before the light went out, and embellished it a bit after the flag.
Who decided what ‘event’s went to which ‘free to air’ as highlights to totally confuse?
Agreed. We hear Ross Brawn telling us what a success this new format is, but no one else. Who decides its success? Are Liberty actually going to ask the fans? Probably not, they might not like what they hear! I don’t like it at all. It appears Liberty is simply trying to increase revenue over the entire weekend. Diehard fans won’t be able to watch live qualifying any more, as they are at work on Friday, and FP3 is now a completely redundant as by that stage, after qualifying, the cars are already in Parc Ferme conditions. This sprint format makes no sense, and get’s a big thumbs down from me.
The existing format is perfect. Leave it alone.