Stefano Domenicali wants free practice to be DITCHED in major shake-up

Domenicali in paddock in Jeddah — Photo: © LAT Images

Stefano Domenicali

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F1 chief reveals desire to MAJORLY shake up Grand Prix weekends

Stefano Domenicali insists the public 'doesn't like' the crucial Friday and Saturday sessions

Chris Deeley

Monday 27 March 2023 12:58

Formula 1 Group CEO Stefano Domenicali has once again stated his intention to shake up the sport's race weekends, with free practice sessions on the chopping block.

Speaking to Portuguese outlet SportTV at the opening event of the MotoGP season on Sunday, the Italian suggested removing the three sessions of free practice in favour of something more interesting for fans.

"I am a supporter of the cancellation of free practice sessions which are of great use to the engineers, but that the public doesn't like," he explained.

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Whether or not teams and drivers would be keen on signing off on such a plan – or indeed whether a lack of running time before qualifying and the race would lead to a worse product on the track – is yet unclear.

Putting 'a lot of things on the table'

It's not the first time Domenicali has suggested some pretty radical changes to the setup of a race weekend.

He spoke on the subject of altering the format of free practice in September last year, suggesting that three sessions could be cut to a single one, favouring one-off hot laps and qualifying for a rejigged Saturday sprint race.

"In a normal weekend, consisting of free practice one and two on Friday, each session should put up for grabs either points, or single qualifying lap – qualifying for a different, shorter Saturday race, instead of the third free practice, perhaps with the reverse grid mechanism," he said at the time.

"We are putting a lot of things on the table. A lot of people say no, but we have seen on some occasions the beauty [of mixed grids], more overtaking."

A lack of in-season testing means that each race's free practice sessions have a greater importance in terms of teams' data gathering than ever, meaning that while they're not must-see TV, it's hard to see teams and indeed fans heartily in favour of their removal for something more competitive.