There will be no format change from 2022, with qualifying on Friday to determine the starting order for Saturday. The sprint race will account for a third of the lap count of Sunday’s main event, with the rider finishing first receiving eight points and the eighth rider one point. The final order of the sprint race determines the starting grid for the main race on Sunday.

Sprint races have divided fans and drivers. Two-time Red Bull World Champion Max Verstappen is a notable critic who said the format had to be mixed in Brazil this year as none of the drivers were ‘ready to take risks’.

“I’m just not a big fan of it because I feel like we don’t really race,” said Verstappen. “Okay, there are a few points up for grabs but you also know you can’t take any chances because in the main race you really get the points. You don’t pit stop, so you just put on the tire that keeps the distance.

Discussions are understood to be ongoing as to what could be adjusted for the future. One suggestion is to make the sprint race a standalone event to encourage riders to take more risks.

Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said in a statement: “We have seen an extremely positive response to F1 sprint events in the first two years of its operation and we look forward to bringing even more action to fans . with six events next year including our first US Formula 1 Sprint at Austin.

“The introduction of the F1 Sprint has created a race weekend that encompasses three days of competitive racing action, providing more entertainment for fans of the sport and added value for key stakeholders including teams, broadcasters, partners and host sites. »

Below you will find more information about the 2023 season

When are the pre-season tests?

Unlike last year, there is only one pre-season test ahead of the 2023 season, taking place from Thursday 23rd February to Saturday 25th February at the Bahrain International Circuit, just outside of Sakhir.

When is the first race in 2024?

The first Grand Prix of the 2023 season will also take place at the Bahrain International Circuit from Friday, March 3rd to Sunday, March 5th.

Where and when will the six sprint races take place this year?

2023 will be the third year that sprint races will be staged and the number has risen to six, a quarter of the proposed 24-race schedule.

As in the previous year, points will also be awarded to the eight best drivers in the sprint race. Again, the sprint races will be around 100km long – about a third the distance of a Grand Prix – and take place on Saturday, with the traditional three-part qualifying session defining the starting grid for the sprint and taking place on Friday.

In these sprint races, the first place in qualifying on Friday gets the official pole position and not the winner of the sprint like in 2021.

How are the driver lineups?

Redbull : Max Verstappen (33) and Sergio Perez (11)
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton (44) and George Russel (63)
Ferrari: Carlos Sainz (55) and Charles Leclerc (55)
Alpine: Esteban Ocon (31) and Pierre Gasly (10)
McLaren: Lando Norris (4) and Oscar Piastri (81)
Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas (77) and Guanyu Zhou (24)
Aston Martin: Lance Stroll (18) and Fernando Alonso (14)
Has: Kevin Magnussen (20) and Nico Hulkenberg (27)
AlphaTauri: Yuki Tsunoda (22) and Nyck de Vries (to be confirmed)
Williams: Alexandre Albon (23) and Logan Sargeant (2)

what is the full schedule

3rd-5th March: Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir
17-19 March: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah
March 31 – April 2: Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne *
28-30 April: Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku +
5th-7th May: Miami Grand Prix, Miami
19-21 May: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Imola
26-28 May: Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
2nd-4th June: Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona
16-18 June: Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal
June 30 – July 2: Austrian Grand Prix, Spielberg +
7th-9th July: British Grand Prix, Silverstone
21-23 July: Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest
28-30 July: Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps +
25-27 August: Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort
1st-2nd September: Italian Grand Prix, Monza
September 15-17: Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore
September 22nd to 24th: Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka
October 6th to 8th: Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail +
20-22 October: United States Grand Prix, Austin +
27-29 October: Mexico City Grand Prix, Mexico City
3rd-5th November: Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Sao Paulo +
November 16-18: Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas
24-26 November: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina

*NB: The Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for April 16 has been cancelled. He was due to be replaced at that date with Portugal in the lead.

+ Denotes the weekend of the Sprint event

This is how you see the season

As it has for some time, Sky Sports F1 has near-exclusive coverage rights for the season in the UK. They show all training sessions, qualification sessions, sprint qualifications and races throughout the season.

Channel 4 will once again extend its qualifying and racing highlights, with the British Grand Prix shown live in July.

If you are outside the UK you can subscribe to F1’s F1TV throughout the season for a monthly fee.