Mercedes confirms: Approval on new weekend format on Tuesday before Baku

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is fast approaching. For the first time, there would be qualifying for the sprint race and one for the Grand Prix. But there has still been no official announcement.

A week from now, according to the current schedule, a qualifying session is scheduled on Friday, which will determine the starting grid for the Grand Prix. The teams have long since agreed on an alternative format.

There will be one free practice session in Baku on Friday, followed by qualifying for the Sunday race. On Saturday morning - when there is usually the second free practice - there will be a second qualifying session, this time one that determines the line-up for the sprint race later that day. The changes from the original format come at the request of the drivers, who wanted the sprint race to stand out from the Grand Prix.

The 10 teams in Formula 1 unanimously approved the modified format. Now the ball is in the FIA's court. The latter is to give its approval on Tuesday before the Grand Prix, Mercedes told GPblog on Friday.