Verstappen no fan of F1’s sprint race idea

Max Verstappen says he is not a fan of Formula 1’s plan to trial a new sprint race format in 2021.

"More racing is not always a good thing," the Red Bull driver said.

F1’s plan for the three-race trial is for a Friday qualifying session followed by a short race on Saturday that will attract points and set the grid for Sunday’s main event.

"I like the current format with one grand prix for an hour and a half," Verstappen insisted.

"The most important thing is that we have good cars that you can fight with on the track and that there are more teams driving for victory. Then you don’t need sprint races," he said.

"I don’t think we should turn everything upside down for more spectacle."

Verstappen’s new teammate Sergio Perez agrees.

"It’s a thin line on which we have to balance," said the Mexican. "We have to be careful that we do not deviate too far from the normal format.

"The most important thing for me is that the DNA of Formula 1 is not lost."