Silverstone earmarked to host first F1 Sprint Race!

Silverstone is reportedly set to host Formula 1's first ever Sprint Race, a 100km mad dash on Saturday afternoon that will define the grid order for race day.

Formula 1's plan to trial the new concept is to be debated at a meeting between the sport's stakeholders in Bahrain on Thursday, with a good chance the idea will be voted through.

Montreal, Monza and Interlagos were initially chosen as the three venues at which a Sprint Race would be trialed, but Silverstone looks set to host the F1's first ever qualifying race according to the Daily Mail. 

It's unclear if the British track has been preferred to Montreal or if the potential choice is the result of the uncertainties that continue to linger over the Canadian Grand Prix due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Changes to the British Grand Prix schedule would see Friday's FP2 replaced by an outright qualifying session that would determine the grid order for Saturday's Sprint Race.

"We are finalising the intricacies of it," F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali told the Daily Mail.

"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."

• Read also: Vettel says F1 sprint race idea 'makes no sense'

Domenicali confirmed that there would be no podium celebration associated with the Sprint Race. With regard to the allocation of points to teams and drivers for the Saturday event, the topic is likely to be reviewed in Thursday's meeting in Bahrain.

"It will provide some meaningful action the day before the race," added Domenicali.

"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."

Silverstone Circuit boss Stuart Pringle welcomed Formula 1's potential plans to hold a Sprint Race at the British Grand Prix venue.

"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. 

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