Masi: Keeping three-day F1 weekend format provides momentum

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi believes maintaining the existing three-day race weekend format will give the paddock “momentum” instead of mixing up scheduling in the future.

After the threat of Typhoon Hagibis forced the cancellation of Saturday’s running for the Japanese Grand Prix, qualifying was moved to Sunday at Suzuka, resulting in a bumper day of on-track action.

The scheduling change was widely praised by drivers, who felt it could act as a blueprint for more condensed race weekends in the future amid format change considerations by F1 officials.

Asked by Crash.net for his view on the possibility of the format being used in the future, Masi said he would “hate to speculate” on what the approach would be going forward, but added that he would prefer to keep the existing format.

“That’s something the Formula 1 Group, together with the promoters, will discuss with regards to event formats,” Masi said.

“Between all of us, we will work together on what is the optimum format to suit the calendar. I would hate to speculate.

“I think there were a number of people in teams that quite enjoyed having a day off! But for the future, I’d much prefer having the three days that we have, and continue working that way.

“It gives us all some momentum.”

F1 managing director Ross Brawn confirmed following the race weekend that the existing three-day format of on-track running would be maintained going forward, but the sport would look into ways of condensing additional activities so teams could arrive at the track one day later that at present.