Why F1's willingness to experiment shouldn't end with 2020
To sprint or not to sprint? After a season in which F1 has departed greatly from its regular calendar, and with some success, Pat Symonds says it's worth carrying on that spirit of embracing the new by considering new race formats in 2021.
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One of the most emotive topics of the unusual 2020 season has been the debate surrounding the introduction of sprint races. It is not a new topic, and in fact F1 commissioned research among fans in 2018 to solicit views on the subject.
The top-level aim of such a proposal is to deepen engagement with existing fans while enticing new fans into Formula 1. The idea of a sprint race, with a grid where the cars line up in an order where the fastest is not necessarily at the front, is to generate an exciting spectacle in itself while also increasing unpredictability for the main event on Sunday.
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