Stefano Domenicali’s plan divides opinions: more Sprint races yes, but GP length should remain. F1 drivers react to Stefano Domenicali’s proposals.

At Monza, several drivers shared their opinions regarding the recent comments made by Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Half convinced

During the Monza weekend, alongside the on-track action, there was considerable discussion about what the future of Formula 1 might look like. This conversation was inevitable following the extensive interview Domenicali gave to Italian media in Zandvoort. In that interview, the F1 CEO outlined several key points for future discussions about the sport. Particular attention was given to the possibility of increasing the number of Sprint races and potentially reducing the duration of Grand Prix events. While most drivers seem generally supportive of the first point – as Domenicali himself stated – opinions on shortening the length of GPs are largely negative.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old rookie representing the new generation of drivers, summed up this perspective clearly: “Personally, I think Sprint weekends are fun because they are full of activity,” said the Mercedes driver. “You need to be at your best immediately because there’s only one practice session, then qualifying, and then the Sprint Race. But I don’t think having shorter GPs would work. Even now, in long races, we often use one-stop strategies, and you all know that for a shorter race many more rules around pit stops would need to be introduced.”

Ocon’s warning

Charles Leclerc took a more cautious stance on the idea of making too many radical changes: “I don’t think significant changes are necessary,” the Ferrari driver said. “I think F1 is doing very well and has really grown in recent years. Regarding Sprint races, I am fairly satisfied with the number we already have, but that is just my personal preference. For the rest, I’m not sure exactly what was said, and I would like to speak with him before commenting further.”

Esteban Ocon, by contrast, expressed skepticism about the idea of excessively increasing the number of short races, following the approach seen in MotoGP, which proposes a ‘double race’ format at every round. “My opinion is that there is no need to make major changes to what we already have,” said the French Haas driver. “I think copying what MotoGP does and having a Sprint in every weekend would be a bit extreme, and I don’t believe it would necessarily make the racing better. As a fan, what you want to see is more battles on track. We live in such a consumer-driven world that we want to see more spectacle, more often.”