Alonso Slams "Useless" F1 Sprint: "They Keep Penalising Us
May 4 - Formula 1 drivers are continuing to rail against the controversial sprint weekend format.
Amid talk of an expansion of the concept from six to 12 grands prix for 2025, the tweaked format debuted in Shanghai recently and is in play once again in Miami.
"It felt a little weird (in China) having the sprint race and then you prepare again for qualifying," admitted McLaren driver Oscar Piastri.
Sergio Perez added: "Opening the parc ferme has put a lot of extra workload on the mechanics and I think it's something we really have to look at."
With the harshest opinion of all, however, is F1 veteran Fernando Alonso. He was harshly penalised by FIA stewards for a clash with Carlos Sainz in the recent Shanghai sprint.
Aston Martin appealed the decision, but in Miami the case was thrown out.
"The decision surprises us," team boss Mike Krack told DAZN, "but now we have to turn the page. We are now in Miami, we have another sprint weekend and we have to move forward."
Alonso, though, remained furious about the situation even after qualifying eighth in Friday's sprint qualifying in Miami.
"We will see what we can learn for the race, but the sprint is useless," he told Spanish reporters in Miami.
"There are very few points at stake and they don't let us compete because they keep penalising us. So it will be a boring day from outside - we will be on the car train but we will collect useful information at least.
"We haven't done any long runs in practice and the sprint doesn't mean anything," Alonso, 42, continued. "Especially because we can't fight or anything like that. We receive penalties for everything we do."
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I agree with Alonso and Piastri. Sprint races don't belong in F1. Sprint races are popular at the speedway, which is where they belong and should stay!
As Alonso says, and I agree, the sprint races are boring and insignificant. I am sure if the drivers and teams had the opportunity, they would boycott the farcical sprint races.
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