Sprint race advantageous for Verstappen? "Good to keep that in mind"

This weekend we will see the new sprint race format in action for the first time. There has already been quite a bit of criticism, but many people are also interested in how this format will work out. The other question that needs to be asked though is which team benefits from a sprint race?

At The Race podcast Mark Hughes says that Mercedes and Red Bull have two different types of approach and that Max Verstappen's team could well be at an advantage in a sprint race.

"Mercedes is shaping its car as the weekend progresses, while Red Bull tends to be quick right away. I can't say if we're going to see that reflected in the sprint race, but it's good to keep that in mind. They will be a bit stronger than in Austria because of the new parts that are brought. But I'm not sure if this track suits Mercedes better than the Red Bull RIng."

Less resistance important at Silverstone

When it comes to the race, Hughes sees an advantage for Red Bull there too. This is because the car is more made for the track than Lewis Hamilton's and Mercedes'.

"It's a lot about aerodynamics at Silverstone. Corners like Maggots and Becketts can be taken at full throttle by all cars these days. So cars with less drag can go through them faster. The circuit doesn't really test downforce anymore. It's more about the efficiency of it, which is probably why it's a Red Bull circuit now. It all depends on who has the optimum downforce package. If Red Bull is strong at Silverstone, Mercedes has a very big problem."

So next weekend at Silverstone conclusions can be drawn about the sprint race format for the first time and Verstappen will try to run out of Hamilton and Mercedes again in both championships.