Russell joins calls to reduce race weekend practice time

A number of drivers including Mercedes’ George Russell have come out in support of suggestions that there should be fewer practice sessions during Grand Prix race weekends.

Currently the normal schedule allows for two one-hour practices on a Friday, already a reduction from the dual 90-minute sessions that used to be the norm up until the end of the 2020 season.

There is also a third practice on Saturday morning before qualifying. The format is different for sprint race events with the second Friday session replaced by qualifying, and the sprint taking the Saturday afternoon slot.

Read also: F1 clarifies Domenicali stance on ‘canceling’ F1 practice sessions

But this week, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali suggested that the sport could do without so many practice sessions, leading to reports that they might all be dropped in future.

“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 told Portuguese broadcaster Sport TV last weekend.

A Formula 1 spokesperson later denied that Domenicali was advocating an end to all practice sessions but rather seeking a way to make them more exciting and engaging for fans.

And it seems he’s got support among the drivers in the paddock who find the hours of practice no more thrilling than the fans in the grandstand.

“I think one session is good enough for all of us to do the various things we need to try to help develop,” commented Russell, a director of the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers Association).

“No practice would be too little,” he continued. “You don’t want to be just left with the car that you created at the start of a year with no opportunity to trial new things.

“That’s sort of the beauty sometimes: you’ve got this 60-minute session, you can try new things, develop, improve further,” he noted. “If you’re going straight into a session that is points-worthy or there is a reward, you’re less likely to trial new things.

“This is still the pinnacle of the sport,” he added. “[But] I don’t think it’s right that Formula 1 has three times the amount of practice that you have in the Formula 3 and Formula 2 categories.

“They should be the ones getting more practice, because they’re doing less races, they don’t get to test that often,” he said. “The more practice you do, the more up to speed you’ll be, the more comfortable you’ll be with the car.”

The sprint race weekends have been one way of shaking up the traditional format and ensuring that each of the three days has a significant event at its heart – whether qualifying, the sprint or the Grand Prix itself.

“I wasn’t in favour of the sprint races initially,” Russell admitted. “But having done [six] in two years, I really enjoy them. Having action on a Friday I think is vital for all of us, and also for the entertainment factor.”

Other drivers joining Russell in the Thursday FIA press conference in Melbourne signalled they were of a similar view when it came to practice. “I agree with George,” said Alpine driver Pierre Gasly. “Definitely three is not needed.

“From a driving point of view it’s always nice: you can work on fine details on the car and really try to nail that car balance for the weekend. But generally speaking I think one, two maximum is more than enough.”

For Nico Hulkenberg, who has returned to F1 with Haas after a two year break from Grand Prix racing, it’s a question of drivers being better able to apply their skill.

“Thinking back to what George said about junior series, I quite enjoyed it at the time – having only 30 minutes like in F2 and then getting thrown into quali,” he said.

Williams rookie driver Logan Sargeant has the most recent experience of F2, which gives drivers just one 45-minute session before the all-important qualifying battle.

Sargeant said that the luxury of three one-hour sessions “is definitely a lot, especially coming from F2 where you just have to take risks a lot sooner than I currently have to.”

At this stage of his career, the more time Sargeant gets to spend in the cockpit the better. But he acknowledged that this won’t always be the case.

“As a rookie I don’t mind having two or three,” he said. “But going forward, I don’t think three is necessary.”

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