Formula One and teams mulling Saturday qualifying race!

The Formula One Group has apparently put forth to teams the idea of running a Saturday sprint race on Grand Prix weekends to determine the race grid.

Reporting from Germany's Auto Motor und Sport alleges that in Australia, F1 submitted to teams several potential changes to the race-weekend format.

For starters, the sport's commercial rights holder is suggesting that proceedings kick off on the Friday with an open scrutineering, an approach that would allow fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with teams and cars.

The day would then be completed by F1's usual two free practice sessions, although they would be reduced to just 60 minutes each.

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The big change however would take hold on Saturdays, with the scrapping of FP3 and a one-hour qualifying session taking place earlier in the day.

This would define the order on the grid for a 100km sprint race held later in the day, the result of which would in turn set the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.

Furthermore, to spice up the Saturday quali race, there would be no restrictions on tyres or fuel flow, enabling teams and drivers to go full blast for the duration of the short event.

A plan to have the grid for the sprint race set in the reverse order of the championship was quickly dismissed as it was seen as simply too artificial.

The various ideas are in their infancy, with formal feedback still awaited from teams and promoters, but Liberty Media appears determined to shake up F1's weekend format, one way or the other.

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