Formula 1 to reduce Friday sessions to 60 minutes in 2021

Formula 1 will reduce its Friday practice session to 60 minutes next season according to the most recent version of its 2021 sporting regulations.

The opening day of running on Grand Prix weekend has traditionally been comprised of two 90-minute sessions of free practice.

While neither the FIA nor F1 have confirmed the change, Article 32.1 of the provisional sporting rules states the following:

"Two free practice sessions (P1 and P2), each lasting one hour and separated by at least two and a half hours, will take place on the second day [Friday] of the Event."

• Read also: FIA confirms record 23-race calendar for F1 in 2021

Saturday's timing will remain unchanged, with a 60-minute practice session kicking off the day and followed in the afternoon by qualifying.

The changes, should they be confirmed, are likely intended to slightly lighten the financial and practical burden on the teams in a season that is set to include a record 23 events.

However, F1 is reportedly mulling the implementation of a few two-day race weekends, such as the one that took place at Imola this year.

The format would not include any running on Friday, with teams taking part in a single practice session on Saturday ahead of qualifying.

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