McLaren's star driver Lando Norris has launched a blistering attack on Formula 1's controversial sprint race format, branding it 'terrible' after a frustrating weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
The British racing sensation didn't hold back in his post-race assessment, claiming the experimental format creates unnecessary chaos and fails to deliver genuine racing excitement for fans.
Baku Sprint Weekend Sparks Fury
The street circuit in Baku became the backdrop for Norris's frustrations as the compressed format saw teams juggle a single practice session before diving straight into qualifying for both the main Grand Prix and the separate sprint race.
'It's just a terrible format,' Norris stated emphatically. 'There's no excitement in it. It's all about trying to get the car in the right window, which is so difficult around here. You see now, people are just doing the same thing, there's no overtaking.'
McLaren's Double Disappointment
Norris's criticisms came after both McLaren cars failed to make a significant impact during the sprint event. Teammate Oscar Piastri managed to climb to tenth, while Norris himself finished outside the points in a disappointing seventeenth position.
The young Brit pointed to the extreme challenge of setting up the car with minimal practice time, a particular issue on Baku's demanding street circuit where finding the perfect balance is notoriously difficult.
The Call for Format Reform
Norris's comments add to the growing chorus of concern within the F1 paddock about the sprint weekend structure. His main argument centres on the format's failure to produce the wheel-to-wheel racing action it was designed to create.
'There's things they can do better and I think just the whole format of it is pretty terrible,' he reiterated, suggesting that the current format prioritises chaos over competition.
As Formula 1 continues to experiment with the sprint format at select races throughout the season, feedback from top drivers like Norris will be crucial in determining whether this experiment becomes a permanent fixture or requires significant revision.
