Williams driver Carlos Sainz has pinpointed one critical problem with Formula 1’s Sprint race weekends as they currently exist: they reveal what the first stint of a grand prix will look like, thereby “spoiling” that section of the race for fans and drivers.

While the Spaniard didn’t have a quick fix in mind during media availability ahead of the United States Grand Prix, he did pitch several potential ideas, including reverse grids and mandated tyre compound usage — though in his eyes, the primary goal is to remain open to making changes based on feedback and effectiveness.

Carlos Sainz: “Keep trying different things”

This weekend’s United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas will host Formula 1’s first Sprint race since the Belgian Grand Prix, and it’ll only be one of three in the following six races to bring an end to the F1 2025 season.

While some drivers are keen to take advantage of the opportunity to score points toward a critical championship battle, not everyone on the grid is convinced that the Sprint format as it currently exists is as compelling as it could be.

One such driver is Carlos Sainz, who balances his seat at Williams with a role as director in the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. According to the Spaniard, F1’s current Sprint format simply reveals too much of the first stint of Sunday’s race, which should come with a bit of intrigue.

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Sainz was originally asked how he felt about the addition of Sprint events in 2026, which will see locations like Singapore, Zandvoort, and Montreal add a sprint to their weekend offerings.

“It’s a good example of maybe not the right ones,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, about the additions, “but at the same time, you never know. You might get a wet race in Canada or a shower in Singapore, and it turns out to be the best sprint in history.”

Instead, he turned his attention to the current structure of the Sprint event as it stands.

“For me, it’s more the format change that I think is required for the sprint, and I think Stefano [Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group] is open to do that.

“For me, right now, the sprint, I’m not a big fan, because it unveils what the first stint of Sunday is gonna be like. Because qualifying is the same format almost, and Sunday is almost the first stint, no? Maybe with a bit lighter car, but still the same set of tyres.

“I would rather have different ideas around the sprint so it doesn’t reveal so much the race pace and the results of Sunday.”

Put on the spot to propose some solutions of his own, Sainz came ready with suggestions.

“One simple idea could be to make sure everyone does the sprint race on soft tyres, which is a high deg tyre,” he explained.

“Normally, very little tracks we choose the soft tyre for the first stint of the race. That could be a very easy, short-term solution, also because we are throwing five sets of tyes in the bin, soft tyres, almost every week. And we put one lap on them in quali, and then we give them back, and they go — I don’t know where Pirelli stores them. But definitely for us, it’s only a one-lap tyre in many, many tracks.

“So that could be an easy fix. Not enough, probably. I think it requires something else, something maybe a bit more spicy, which I think when it comes to getting the sprint race a bit more spicy, should be a good opportunity too maybe experiment with different formats and be open-minded.

“If it works, great; if it doesn’t, change it again, like we did in the past.”

When someone asked if he’d enjoy seeing the implementation of a reverse grid, however, the Spanish driver was hesitant.

“Maybe,” he said. “I’m not a big fan of reverse grids, but I wouldn’t be completely opposed to trying something different in this case.

“I also think a sprint quali could be different, maybe with something of a super pole in SQ3.

“Just keep adding something different to the weekend. Keep trying different things, maybe — and as I said, not be too critical about it.

“If it works, great, and it’s better for the format. If it doesn’t, don’t be scared to say, ‘put it in the bin’ and acknowledge it didn’t work and try something different.”

Formula 1 first introduced Sprint races during the 2021 season, when three events on the calendar saw the addition of a brief race ahead of the main action. Since then, more venues have seen the addition of a Sprint race, and the weekend format has been tweaked in terms of the scheduling in order to maximize the spectacle for fans and to ensure drivers feel equipped to handle the stresses.

Speaking to media before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Domenicali expressed a desire to continue evolving the offerings of a race weekend, saying, “We need to discuss the formats for the next few years.

“Everyone wants more Sprint races instead of Friday free practice, from the promoters to the fans.”

MotoGP, which was acquired by Formula 1’s owner Liberty Media, utilizes the sprint format at each weekend; Domenicali acknowledged that following suit would be “a big step,” but that F1’s primary goal is to continue evolving its offerings in line with evolving fan demographics and expectations.

As Sainz points out, though, driver experience is also critical; after all, they’re the men getting behind the wheel with less practice than in the past. Tweaks that improve the driver experience are likely to improve the fan experience as well.

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