Vettel backs Ecclestone against criticism of sprint race

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Sebastian Vettel, Austrian GP 2021

Aston Marting Race

Sebastian Vettel backed former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s criticism of the new ‘sprint qualifying’ format making its debut at Silverstone this weekend.

Ecclestone, 90, said his main objection to the format is that it “digs” history – given that the purity of a pole position will now be compromised.

“People would say someone has 70 pole positions but it’s gone now,” he said. “There is no pole position.”

Ecclestone’s friend and four-time world champion Vettel agrees that naming the winner of the 100km sprint race on Saturday as the official poleman is “wrong”.

“It is getting a little confusing,” the German said by the DPA news agency.

“If it’s a one-time thing, it doesn’t hurt a lot,” he added. “But when we do ten sprints next year, it will be a bit strange.

“When I was young I was a die-hard fan so I would have liked more races. I just think it’s important that Sunday remains the main race day.”

And the sprint race winner, he insists, shouldn’t go down in history as a grand prix weekend poleman.

“Because it’s a new format, we should just introduce a new column of statistics. Pole position should remain the absolute fastest lap of the weekend following qualifying,” said Vettel.

(GMM)

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