British Grand Prix: 'F1 breaks new ground but jury still out on sprint qualifying'

[Animous]

At the circuit where the Formula 1 World Championship started in 1950, the sport made a decisive break with tradition on Saturday - and the results were inconclusive.

F1's first 'sprint' - a race on Saturday, one-third of the distance of a regular Grand Prix, to set the grid for Sunday's main event - ended with Max Verstappen winning from Lewis Hamilton. It extended the Dutchman's championship lead over the Briton by one point, and gave him the best opportunity to enlarge it further on Sunday.

After watching the Red Bull driver control the race from the front after passing Hamilton's Mercedes off the start line, it is tempting to conclude that the 'sprint' had failed in one of its objectives, of adding extra jeopardy to the Grand Prix.

Verstappen's Red Bull appeared the faster car - certainly Hamilton said he believed it was. If it turns out that way, putting Verstappen at the front for the start of the Grand Prix makes a close race on Sunday less likely rather than more so.

But that conclusion would be premature. The overarching point of the 'sprint', which is being trialled at three races this year and could be introduced at more in 2022 if it is deemed a success, was to enhance the entire weekend. A first judgement on that will not be possible until Sunday evening at the earliest.

This event, in front of 100,000 enthusiastic fans at a Silverstone bathing in gorgeous summer weather, was meant to be a trial, and F1 is planning research and surveys to establish reaction to it. The architect of the plan, though, felt he had already seen enough to justify its introduction on a permanent basis at more races next year.

F1 managing director Ross Brawn said he was "very pleased" by what he had seen.

"There was lots of action," Brawn said. "People are now understanding it's a complete weekend. We had a great day yesterday, we've had a great day today, and I'm sure we're going to have a great day tomorrow. So three days of action. And I don't believe we have diluted it at any stage; we've only added to to it.

"We will go away and review everything, take some time, talk to the teams and drivers, discuss it with the FIA and see if there are things we can polish, but I don't think we should change anything fundamentally. I think the concept is good.

"The terminology of the event is a little challenging. Some people call it sprint qualifying, some call it a sprint race, we need to tidy up things like that. There are things we need to evolve, but nothing major."

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