Formula 2 announces new format for new triple-race 2021 programme

The FIA has confirmed a revised format will be introduced for the 2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship ahead of a new programme that will see three races take place per event.

In the first major change to the format since the series (formerly known as the GP2 Series) debuted in 2005 as a replacement for the Formula 3000 Championship, there will now be two sprint races and one feature race occurring over the weekend.

As ever, Free Practice and Qualifying will take place on Friday, but Saturday will now see two sprint races of 120km (or 45 minutes) before the Feature Race of 170km and featuring a mandatory pit-stop will switch to a Sunday morning slot before the centrepiece F1 race.

Despite the increase in races, there will remain only one Qualifying session, with the grid position for Sprint Race 1 determined by reversing the top ten from timed session (whoever qualifies 10th starts on pole, and vice versa) before Sprint Race 2 is determined by reversing the top ten results of race one.

It means Qualifying won’t have a direct affect on the grid until Sunday’s Feature Race, though it will continue to be more lucrative with 25 points for a win, compared with 15 points for a win in the Sprint Race. The top ten will score in the Feature Race, with the top eight scoring in the Sprint Race.

With points for pole and fastest lap, the maximum number of points a driver can now score over a weekend will be 65, up from 48.