F1 Changes Major Rule Following Sprint Race Alterations

The sprint race format isn't the only thing to change.

As well as the updated sprint race format, the Formula 1 Commission has made some other changes ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, including the allowance of four power unit elements per driver, instead of the previous three. The designated elements are the ICE, turbo, MGU-H, and MGU-K. 

The commission considered a range of technical matters, but perhaps the most significant change will be to the sprint weekend setup. Fridays on a sprint race weekend will now consist of Free Practice 1 and qualifying which will determine the race line-up for the Grand Prix on the Sunday. The Saturday will now have the Sprint Shootout which is a shorter version of qualifying, the results of which will give the starting grid for the Sprint race later that day.

Bringing in another qualifying session on top of the sprint race means the cars will be put under more stress with the drivers pushing them to the max. So, the decision to allow more of some power unit elements may have been influenced by this factor.

The sprint race set up and power unit allowance aren't the only changes that the Formula 1 Commission made. The pre-race grid procedure has also been extended from 40 minutes to 50 minutes. This extra time will be used on specific circuits to introduce drivers to the public, and is counted from the moment the cars leave the pit lane until the start of the race.

Finally, there have been changes to the budget cap, with sustainability initiatives now falling outside of the cap. This includes covering the costs of sustainable infrastructure, auditing and monitoring carbon footprints, donating to charities that promote environmental sustainability, and investing in carbon offset programs. Further details on these initiatives will be announced in due course.