Verstappen still no fan of sprints: 'Emotions on Sunday should be special'

Max Verstappen may be successful in sprint races (he has won three of the five so far), but it's no secret that the Dutchman is not a fan of the format. Verstappen would hate to see it become a regular part of a Formula One weekend, as it will be for MotoGP from 2023 onwards.

For now, the 2023 F1 season will only have three sprint weekends, just like this year. As far as Verstappen is concerned, however, they could be scrapped altogether. "The emotions on a Sunday should be special. That's the only day you should be racing," he is quoted by Motorsport-Magazin.com.

Verstappen remains opposed to sprint races

A sprint race as a fixed part of the race weekend, as will be introduced in MotoGP in 2023, is not something the championship leader wants. "I wouldn't want that," says Verstappen. Not only does he believe Sunday is the day to race, but he also feels it adds little value. "The sprints we've done so far haven't really changed anything in terms of results. Everyone starts on the same tyre and finishes the sprint in the same position as they started," continued the Red Bull Racing driver.

Technical problems and crashes have already shaken the grid with sprints, but for Verstappen the two 2022 sprints so far have been virtually trouble-free. However, he believes the risk is too great in relation to the potential payoff. "You are afraid of crashing and then having to start at the back of the grid in the main race, where the big points are up for grabs. Everyone wants to make sure the sprint goes off without a hitch. That's not what you want," said the reigning world champion.