P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Verstappen: ‘Not smart’ to pick returning China for F1 sprint weekend
“China last hosted an F1 race in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its grand prix, and now F1 returns to the demanding Shanghai International Circuit after four seasons absent from the calendar. The circuit has undergone resurfacing, rendering existing data invalid and adding difficulty to the teams’ preparations. China has been chosen as the first of six sprint venues this year, offering only one 60-minute practice session for setup. Drivers like Verstappen and Sainz have expressed mixed feelings about the decision, with concerns about the lack of preparation time due to the sprint format. The revised sprint race format will precede qualifying for the grand prix, with the full race taking place on Sunday.”
