F1 fans could be set to enjoy just three sprint events in 2022 instead of the planned six-race schedule as teams and FOM remain at odds over compensation costs.
F1 successfully trialed the Saturday sprint race concept last season at three venues and hoped to expand the format to six rounds this season, with Bahrain, Imola, Canada, Austria, Holland and Brazil earmarked to host a 30-minute mad dash.
Last season, teams were awarded a $450,000 allowance to take part in the three events, plus a $100,000 reserve to eventually cover any accident damage.
This year, it is believed that teams have each been offered a $500,000 flat fee that covers the first five events and an extra $150,000 for every additional sprint race slotted into the 2022 schedule. However, that proposal apparently no longer includes a damage allowance provision.
The majority of F1's teams were reportedly willing to accept the proposition, but two outfits – believed to be Red Bull and Mercedes – have rejected the offer and are seeking a increase in F1's budget cap threshold which has been set at $140 million for 2022.
But recent bickering over compensation costs linked to the sprint events between Formula One Management (FOM) and the teams has led to a standoff between the two parties.
"One team in particular wanted a $5 million budget cap increase, which was just ridiculous, and had no rational facts behind it," revealed McLaren boss Zak Brown last month.
With teams at loggerheads over the sprint race allowance, any vote on a rule change – because it would be conducted in the current year at short notice – would require at least eight of the ten teams to rubber stamp the change, an unlikely scenario according to Brown.
With Formula 1, the FIA and most teams unwilling to support a budget cap boost, FOM has reportedly offered a compromise to teams that would see only three sprint events included on this year's calendar.
But if the sport's three biggest teams – namely Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari – reject the compromise, F1 would be left with no other alternative than to scrap sprint qualifying altogether.
Formula 1 contends that six sprint events would bring in an additional $10 million in revenue to the sport through broadcasting rights and commercial deals, which implies that a three-race sprint schedule, or worse, no sprints at all, would produce a revenue shortfall.
Formula 1 is expected to reach a final decision on its 2022 sprint race agenda by the February 14 meeting of the F1 Commission.
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