Silverstone set to host first F1 sprint race of 2021 season

Silverstone is set to be one of three venues to host Formula 1’s first sprint race during the 2021 season.

The Italian, Canadian and Brazilian Grands Prix are also in the frame to hold F1's proposed shorter Saturday races.

As part of F1’s plans to make the sport more exciting for fans, sprint races are expected to be trialled to assess their suitability for 2022 onwards.

The proposed format would mean qualifying takes place on Friday with a shorter sprint race taking place on Saturday to determine the grid for Sunday’s main grand prix.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, new F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the details surrounding the proposals would be discussed amongst the teams in Bahrain.

“We are finalising the intricacies of it, with those details due to be discussed further at a meeting in Bahrain on Thursday,” Domenicali said. “For sure we do not want to take away the prestige of the grand prix itself. That will remain the climax of the weekend.

“We will have the qualifying on Friday and then ‘sprint qualifying’ on Saturday. It will provide some meaningful action the day before the race. It will give fans, media and broadcasters more content. It will last about half an hour. There will be no podium celebration. That will wait until Sunday.

“But points will be awarded – how many is yet to be decided – towards the world championship and determine the grid for the race itself. What I can say is that Silverstone will hold a sprint race.”

Silverstone’s managing director Stuart Pringle says it would be “totally supportive” of the potential format changes for this year's British Grand Prix.

"If F1 should decide that Silverstone is the right venue for a sprint race then we would be totally supportive of that and feel it would be fantastic spectacle for the fans,'' Pringle told Sky Sports.