The Formula 1 Commission has unanimously voted in favour of the inclusion of sprint races during qualifying for three Grand Prix in the 2021 season. The sprint qualifying will be adopted for two European events and at one non-European venue this year, the FIA said in a statement. The decision was supported by all F1 teams, as well as the FIA and FOM. The format will follow a Friday qualifying session under the current format after the first free practice which will determine the grid order for the sprint qualifying race on Saturday. The top three finishers in the sprint race will receive points, with first place receiving three points, second two points, and third one point. Teams will be able to choose from five soft tyre sets only during Friday qualifying, with two sets of any tyre available for the 100km sprint race on Saturday afternoon. In the event of wet conditions, each car will have three set of wet tyres and four sets of intermediate at the start of the event. If the first practice or qualifying is wet, teams will receive an additional set of intermediates but must return a used set of the same tyre prior to the sprint race. If sprint qualifying is wet, teams may return one set of used wet or intermediate tyres after the session, to be replaced with a new set of intermediates. A maximum of nine sets of wet and intermediate tyres in total can be used. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the move presented an opportunity to give fans an even more engaging experience across the race weekend. "Seeing the drivers battling it out over three days will be an amazing experience and I am sure the drivers will relish the fight," he said. "I am delighted that all the teams supported this plan, and it is a testament to our united efforts to continue to engage our fans in new ways while ensuring we remain committed to the heritage and meritocracy of our sport.”
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