The matter over the Sprint Qualifying is dividing the world of Formula 1, there are those who find the new way to decide the starting grid on Sunday, an innovative method that will bring more spice to the F1 weekends, and those who remain against it.

It was thought to assign pole position to the driver who would have set the best time on Friday, and who would therefore have started in first position on Saturday, but there have been some second thoughts about it.

After various consultations, F1 and the FIA have decided that driver who wins the sprint quali, and therefore starts the grand prix from the front, will officially be credited with pole.

“I probably have to correct something I've said before because initially we thought it would still be the Friday qualifying,” - Ross Brawn, Formula One managing director, said to Motorsport.com - “But, in fact, after discussions with the FIA, they feel pole position is the guy in front of the grid for the grand prix."

“So it's the person who finishes a sprint in first place, it's the one who is on the front of the grid and has pole position for the race, the grand prix, on a Sunday. And that's what we'll count statistically towards the number of poles, because it is the sprint qualifying."

“That's one of the reasons the FIA want it covered that way, so that we can ensure that the race is the race, the grand prix is the grand prix. And we don't cannibalise the grand prix.” he added.

The new Sprint Qualifying proposal, that has become a reality, will officially take place during the British GP, the presence of this formula has been confirmed for the Italian GP, in Monza, and a third date and place are still to be confirmed.

“We are trying to give a little bit of a fresh flavour,” - he stated when asked by Motorsport.com about the procedure - “So that there'll be a shorter period going on to the grid. There won't be the driver parade, but there'll be opportunities on the grid to interview the drivers.
And we've got some interesting things we want to try after the race, short, sharp. There won't be a podium, it will be rather like qualifying, because we want to keep the podium for the big event of the weekend."

“We'll just keep that in the bag, but there are some fresh things that we're doing with the sprint, which I think will be nice to try.” he explained.

“We're going to have a real competition on a Friday, [and] a new competition on a Saturday, and all of that should enhance the grand prix on the Sunday,” - he said - “So I don't believe we cannibalise the grand prix in any way. This is all additive, and will contribute towards the whole weekend."

“I guess to meet the criticism head-on, some people like the traditional approach and think we're messing with something that doesn't need messing with, and I understand that." he said reffering to the ones that are rejecting the idea of having the Sprint Qualifying.

“As you know, I've been in the sport a very long time. I think the way we're exploring this opportunity is not going to damage F1 at all. And it will become clear, after the second or third of the events, how well this is succeeding, and how well the fans are engaging with it."

“We've got new graphics, we're doing a lot on social media in the next week or 10 days. So we're doing a lot to explain to our fans, what this is all about so that, when they turn the telly on at any stage, over the Silverstone weekend, they know exactly what's going on.” he concluded

BREAKING:#F1 has unanimously approved the sprint qualifying format at three Grand Prix this season.

These events will be held at two European venues – Silverstone and Monza – with a non-European round still yet to be confirmed.#Formula1 #F12021 #F1
( 📸 @f1 ) pic.twitter.com/6RkVZxC5oV

— #MotorLAT (@motorlat) April 26, 2021