Photo: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
In case you missed it, MotoGP recently announced that it would introduce a radical new format next year, featuring half-distance, half-points sprint races set to take place on the Saturday of every single Grand Prix weekend. All that without even doing any trial runs.
Unlike with F1, sprint racing in MotoGP will be independent of the main race and will have no bearing on grid order – qualifying will continue to decide who starts where.
During last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Alpine F1 driver Fernando Alonso praised MotoGP for their decision, while Mercedes-AMG's George Russell told Motorsport the following: “I think it’s quite bold of MotoGP to make that decision without trying it.”
“I think we’ve been fortunate in F1 that we’ve been given a bit of time to try it and see if it works. I think MotoGP and Formula 1 are two very different beasts.”
“Obviously having two weeks less there’s more chance of making errors or falling off and injuring yourself, whereas I guess there’s a little bit more margin for us potentially. It’s bold but I think globally when I look at a number of sports and the direction F1 is heading, we’re in such a great era at the moment we have to be so thankful of the job F1 are doing.”
As far as MotoGP stars are concerned, the reaction to Sprint Racing being introduced was mixed. Marc Marquez was quoted as saying that they will make the series “more spectacular,” whereas reigning champion Fabio Quartararo thought they were “totally stupid.”
One major figure who doesn’t like this idea for MotoGP, or F1 for that matter, is none other than Max Verstappen.
“I will not enjoy it. I just don’t like it. I think that Sunday emotion and feeling should be special. That’s the only time you race. That’s how I grew up racing anyway, you know, Sunday is the day to race.”
“I think anyway, so far from the sprint races we’ve had, not a lot has drastically changed in terms of results and more or less everyone starts on the same tire and that’s where you finish, because you are like scared to have a crash or whatever.”
During last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Alpine F1 driver Fernando Alonso praised MotoGP for their decision, while Mercedes-AMG's George Russell told Motorsport the following: “I think it’s quite bold of MotoGP to make that decision without trying it.”
“I think we’ve been fortunate in F1 that we’ve been given a bit of time to try it and see if it works. I think MotoGP and Formula 1 are two very different beasts.”
“Obviously having two weeks less there’s more chance of making errors or falling off and injuring yourself, whereas I guess there’s a little bit more margin for us potentially. It’s bold but I think globally when I look at a number of sports and the direction F1 is heading, we’re in such a great era at the moment we have to be so thankful of the job F1 are doing.”
As far as MotoGP stars are concerned, the reaction to Sprint Racing being introduced was mixed. Marc Marquez was quoted as saying that they will make the series “more spectacular,” whereas reigning champion Fabio Quartararo thought they were “totally stupid.”
One major figure who doesn’t like this idea for MotoGP, or F1 for that matter, is none other than Max Verstappen.
“I will not enjoy it. I just don’t like it. I think that Sunday emotion and feeling should be special. That’s the only time you race. That’s how I grew up racing anyway, you know, Sunday is the day to race.”
“I think anyway, so far from the sprint races we’ve had, not a lot has drastically changed in terms of results and more or less everyone starts on the same tire and that’s where you finish, because you are like scared to have a crash or whatever.”
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