FORMULA ONE bosses have announced the decision to half the number of sprint races in 2022 from six to three.
Pleas from F1 teams not to increase the number of sprint races have been successful, with events pencilled in for Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands all scrapped.
Instead just three sprint races will go ahead in 2022, the same number as 2021.
Feedback from the media and fans, as well as F1 teams themselves, have prompted a change of plan from race chiefs.
The name has also been officially changed from ‘sprint qualifying’ to just ‘the sprint’.
And finishing first no longer guarantees the official crown of ‘pole position’, with that honour instead going to the fastest driver in Friday’s qualifying.
But the result of the Saturday sprint will still determine the order of the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Meanwhile the grid for the sprint races will be decided by the fastest times in Friday’s qualifying.
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There will also be a point-scoring system for the top-eight sprint finishers, allocated 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 from first to eighth.
That’s in a bid to encourage a strong performance on Saturday’s of race weekends.
Last year points were only awarded to the top three drivers on a 3-2-1 basis from first to third.
The British, Italian and Brazilian GP’s were the venues for the sprint races last season.
Italy and Brazil have retained the honour for 2022, but instead of Silverstone it will be Austria to host the first sprint this year.
An FIA statement announcing the changes read: “Following a review of the three sprint events that took place in 2021 and a recognition by all that the format created positive benefits for the sport,
“Three sprint events were proposed for 2022, acknowledging this as a sensible number in light of the pressures already on the teams for this season with the introduction of major changes to the regulations.
“The Commission unanimously approved the three sprint events for the coming season, incorporating a number of updates to the format based on the feedback of fans, media and teams.”
Disagreements over the finances involved for the sprint races had led to suggestions that they could be scrapped entirely.
But the statement added: “Cost Cap adjustments for sprint events will remain unchanged from 2021.”
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