Chinese GP on fire “literally” during the sprint weekend.

By: Farah Saleh

Hey Cousins,

I think we became really close at this point that we can consider each other family. Therefore, let’s not waste any time and start explaining the first sprint weekend in 2024, Cousins.

First of all, what does it mean when we say a sprint weekend?

• It means that that this grand prix weekend includes a sprint race which is a short race that lasts for about 30 minutes and with a distance of 100 KM which is third of the original race distance.

The points system includes 8 points for P1 and 7 points for P2, and so on until 1 point for P8, unlike the original race in which the points are distributed from P1 to P10.

During a normal grand prix weekends, we have 3 practice sessions, 2 of them happen on Friday while the third one happens on Saturday before the qualifying.

However, during the sprint weekends, we only have one free practice session that happens on Friday then we have the sprint qualifying which was called sprint shootout last year. While the sprint race will take place on Saturday before the original race qualifying.

But how does the sprint qualifying work?

It includes three sessions which are SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3.

The first sprint qualifying session lasts for 12 minutes and after it finishes, the slowest 5 drivers don’t reach SQ2 and their positions get determined according to the timing of each one of them. The same thing happens during the SQ2 and it lasts for 10 minutes. Then the SQ3, which lasts for 8 minutes, determines the final arrangement in which the drivers will start in.

As you all saw already, our boy Lando Norris is on pole alongside Lewis Hamilton in P2 and Fernando Alonso in P3 while Max Verstappen is in P4. Let’s hope he keeps his pace against the world champions chasing him.

 Do you think he will be able to have his first win tomorrow in China?

Anyway, we have 6 sprint races this season starting in China. Then, we have in Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar.

The last sprint race happened in 2023, was in Brazil where Max Verstappen won and Lando Norris got P2 and Checo Perez was in P3.

Now, what’s this thing about China being on fire?

During the first practice session, the grass inside turn 7 caught fire after 15 minutes of starting the session and was reported by Esteban Ocon . It is safe to say that fire was quickly extinguished by the marshals and the session was resumed after a few minutes.

The Chinese GP will take place on the Shanghai International Circuit, which is 5.451 KM long and has a race distance of 305.066 kilometers. The race will consist of 56 laps with two DRS zones.

Now, the weekly question, who do you think will win this grand prix? Will Max continue his dominance or is there anyone who will be able to challenge him.