Sprint Races could be axed from the 2022 World Championship calendar amid a stand-off over money between the sport's owners and the big three teams of this era.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and motorsport director Ross Brawn were keen to double the number of Sprint races – first introduced at last year’s British Grand Prix – from three to six for this season citing that all promoters would relish hosting the Sprint Race weekend.
However, it has emerged that F1 chiefs are locked in dispute top teams, understood to be Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari, who want to see the cost cap set this year at $140-million effectively increased to cover off the additional races.
F1 and the FIA governing body, are unwilling to accommodate the financial demands of the 'rebel teams' but are ready to compromise by keeping the Saturday Sprint Races to just three of the 23-race schedule, hoping to add more in 2023.
But with eight of the grid’s 10 teams required to vote in favour of the sport’s latest proposal, three of which are said to be dissenting, which means there may be no Sprint Race weekends at all this year.
Zak Brown: One team wanted a $5-million budget cap increase which was just ridiculous
Shedding light on the apparent stalemate, McLaren CEO Zak Brown told PA: “One team, in particular, wanted a $5-million budget cap increase which was just ridiculous with no rational facts behind it. And when those facts are challenged, the response is: well you have to anticipate and have the extra money just in case something happens.
"You end up sitting there and realising it's just nonsense. We all have the same challenge. If you do happen to have more crashes, well that is part of sport, like a football player getting injured. We shouldn’t solve it just by getting the chequebook out," added Brown.
F1 is also proposing an increase in points for the Sprint race, which last season awarded three points to the winner, two points for second and one for third.
Last year at Silverstone the sport’s first Sprint Race took place but it is reportedly not set to host a Sprint Race this year.
The matter is tabled for discussion at the F1 Commission meeting in Paris on 14 February. The Bahrain Grand Prix kicks off the new season on 20 March.
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