Masi: F1 'should be proud' of Sprint Qualifying debut

FIA race director Michael Masi says Formula 1 and its teams "should be proud" of the sport's initial roll-out of its Sprint Qualifying format at Silverstone.

Tabled by F1's chief executive Stefano Domenicali at the start of the year, the innovative format went through a gestation period that involved discussions with Grand Prix racing's top brass, the teams and the FIA.

But in the end, the concept was given the green light and Masi was entrusted with framing the sporting rules for Sprint Qualifying, with the final version receiving approval by the World Motor Sport Council just days before the start of the British Grand Prix weekend.

The Aussie highlighted how the format had come to fruition thanks to a collaborative effort between all parties.

"I think everyone should be proud of what we achieved," he said, quoted by Motorsport.com. "I think looking back at the original intention, which was that it gave three competitive elements over the three days of the event which for the viewers, the spectating public and the fans, I think it has its benefits.

"There was always an open mind from the FIA, F1 and the teams that we would take the first event and see what improvements can be made from a regulatory sense.

"I think overall there was one little element that one team brought up which is inconsequential and something to think about and be discussed.

"But it has very much been working as a complete team, with all of us, to get to this point and from an FIA perspective and F1 as a family I am extremely proud of the way that we got here.

"I know that a number of people in a public sense said the regulations were published quite late, however it was the teams, all of us, working together to try to find all those little bits and pieces that kept changing along the way and find one final set of regulations.

"I think the first event has been a success and it has been amazing to have a huge crowd at the British Grand Prix, and for Monza we will sit down with everyone openly and with the various stakeholders take on the feedback and make any amendments we may need to make for Monza which will be the next one."

• Read also: New sprint format 'could certainly be improved', says Binotto

Assessing the first Sprint Qualifying weekend as a mere fan rather than as an FIA official, Masi said the action at Silverstone had provided good entertainment. But he doesn't believe the concept should become the nrom in the future.

"I think it was good it was something different," he said. "Speaking to friends around the globe they have said that the part they liked was that it was different.

"It was intense, and by the time you get through those first few laps and you hear the call we have over the radio ‘10 laps to go’, and you say where has that gone? You have to remind yourself.

"I thought it was good and to see the excitement and particularly the likes of Kimi [Raikkonen] and Fernando [Alonso] with their overtaking at the start and all of that added to the spectacle and from what I understand it came over well from a spectators perspective to see that.

"Do I see it have a place at every event? No.

"Is it a different format, and F1 has been quite open with saying that we are looking at possibilities of different opportunities at different events in the future? Absolutely."

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