Apr.28 - Max Verstappen insists he is still no fan of Formula 1's sprint race format, even though he admits a second qualifying session debuting this weekend at Baku will make it "better".
However, the reigning back-to-back world champion doesn't think it will fully succeed in making the short race on Saturday more enticing for the drivers.
"If you're outside the points, you'll try to finish in the top eight," said the Dutchman. "But for the drivers further up the field it won't make much of a difference.
"The risk of damaging the car in an accident is too great, which could compromise Sunday's race," he added. "So do we really need this? Baku already produces chaotic races.
"No, I'm sticking to it," Verstappen said. "If you're in the top three places in the sprint, you'll bring the points home."
The 25-year-old's dislike of the tendency away from the sport in favour of the 'show' is abundantly clear - and he has even warned that he could walk away from F1 after his contract expires in 2028.
"I have to live with this new format, even if I still believe that we shouldn't have done anything at all," Verstappen said. "We've seen great races in recent years.
"Maybe it's more about selling more tickets for Friday and Saturday, but we're going to have 24 or 25 race weekends soon so you have to look after people's health because the sprints make things even busier.
"I love the sport and I also love winning races, and of course I lead a nice life. But there's always a point in your career when you want to do something new in your life.
"I'm under contract until the end of 2028," said Verstappen. "If it's getting to be too much for me, then it's probably time for a change.
"You have to look at yourself in the mirror and ask - am I still motivated? Of course I am today, but I'm sure at some point I'll feel like doing something different.
"I know it may sound strange to outsiders when I'm a Formula 1 driver and can be so successful. If I was outside, I might not understand it either.
"My life is fabulous, but there are limits to everything."
Most insiders believe Verstappen stands a great chance of matching or even surpassing the all-time record held jointly by Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton of seven career titles.
"No, I am not interested in winning seven or eight titles," Verstappen insisted.
"If you have the car to do it, great. But if it doesn't happen, I'll be happy - I'm already happy, so that's fine," he smiled.
"But right now it's kind of hard to think about what's going to happen after 2028."
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Seems that Max is singing from the same hymn sheet as Can Ed and me.
Keep the sprint separate for reserve drivers and maybe rising stars maybe in previous model/years cars. This weekend will show the damage rate.
More racing , more ticket sales yes, more racing the tv companies pay more yes, more racing, the circuits pay more yes,F1 is worth more yes , as for the drivers they are a whining lot , there in the car less now than before now and, less grief from the sprint, get on with it no more whinging from those that are.
Max is absolutely correct "it's more about selling more tickets for Friday and Saturday". The owners of F1 are interested only in making more money. Liberty Media couldn't give a stuff about the health and pressures it places on the drivers and teams! As long as they make more money. Sad state of affairs. I think they are overdoing it and it will lead to the demise of F1.
The format certainly needs to be changed. Norris couldn't participate in the Sprint Q3 session because he didn't have an unused set of soft tyres! Why so pedantic about what tyres are used? Where is the logic in that regulation? Absurdity!
Of course, you can always say the team should have kept a new set of softs for Llando, same as they did for Oscar, but I really cannot see the logic behind that requirement. Why isn't it the same tyre requirement as for grand prix Q3 session?
Agreed, its not only if he had no new ones left , it could be a puncture, or a rim failure, and what if its 2-3 of top drivers, Im sure theyll tweak it still some, to be honest the build up etc on tv , i felt like it was the main f1 race which was weird, and then with the yellows and vsc , it wasnt a 17 lap race , more like a 10 lap race, Sooooo whats the point, a couple more yellows and the whole race would have been under the vsc, best bit was watching Max acting like a ten yr old lol, i can see his point , but i can also see King G point, that was talked about more than the pretty farcical few laps they call a sprint, I tell you it wont be long and theyll extend the races to an hour Imo