The concept of running a short race to decide the grid for grands prix rather than traditional qualifying has been under discussion for some time but was finally approved by a vote of the F1 commission on Monday and supported unanimously. The races will be called sprint qualifying and are being run this season as a test for the new format to see if it might be more widely adopted in future. “I am pleased to see that Formula One is seeking new ways to engage with its fans and enlarge the spectacle of a race weekend through the concept of sprint qualifying,” he said.

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