Verstappen doesn’t see the point of sprint race

Max Verstappen believes a sprint race replacing the current qualifying format in F1 would be “unnecessary”.

Liberty want to introduce the new format next season but it hasn’t proved popular in the paddock, with various teams and driver being against it.

“I would not know what you want to achieve with that. It is unnecessary,” Verstappen told Ziggo Sport.

“If you can just create an exciting race of one and a half hours on Sunday, there is nothing wrong.

“You start thinking about such a qualifying race if it is not exciting, but what we as drivers do not want is that we become a kind of show and that the sport goes away.

“The bosses must be careful to keep the sport intact.”

Verstappen went on to speak about how he and Red Bull have missed Daniel Ricciardo this season when setting up the car on race weekends.

“The difference is that in previous years during the Friday practice sessions we could go two ways in terms of set-up,” the Dutchman added.

“That way we could work together and eventually find the best combination or go one specific way, but if you go to a circuit unknown to him with a rookie, you can’t expect him to be busy with the set-up.

“Then he must get to know the job, so now we usually only try things out on my side.”

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