Christian Horner has called for changes to be made to the F1 Sprint format following a processional encounter in the United States on Saturday.
Max Verstappen won the 19-lap encounter largely unhindered following a very brief scrap with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at the start.
The Red Bull driver, who has made no secret of his dislike for the short-form races, finished nearly 10 seconds clear of Hamilton, who was a similar distance ahead of Leclerc in third.
Carlos Sainz energised things briefly as his tyres began to cry enough, the Ferrari driver the only one in the field to opt for soft rubber, in what was otherwise a procession.
While his driver may have won, Horner understands the bigger picture the Sprint is designed to serve and has therefore suggested changes be made.
“I think you’ve got to add a bit more jeopardy,” he began.
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“Whether you reverse the top 10 or something with it – but then you’ve got to add enough points to it to make it worth it for the drivers’ while to really go for it.
“We’re in a process where we need to be open to change and evolution.
“I think the execution, we can do a better job in it, making it more exciting for the viewer.”
Horner added that he remains in favour of the concept, which has drawn increased television audiences globally.
That’s despite the mixed opinions within the paddock, with Verstappen most certainly holding a contrasting opinion.
“I don’t really get excited by it,” the Dutchman said following his win on Saturday.
“Like now, we’ve done this race, everyone more or less knows what’s going to happen tomorrow between all the cars in terms of pace, so takes a bit the excitement away from it if you wouldn’t have done today.
“We only had qualifying that you had yesterday; you don’t really know what’s going to happen before the race.
“Everyone is very excited turning on the TV because you don’t know… Now we know a little bit.
“I would just be disappointed because they you more or less know that the picture, if nothing crazy happens, you know what’s going to happen tomorrow.
“So I find that takes away that magic.”
It’s that point that Horner suggests needs to be addressed, so there is still an element of the unknown involved.
“The concept of the Sprint is still good,” Horner added.
“It could be that it’s an opportunity to do something a bit different, and I think that there’s still some more that we could do.
“I don’t know whether you found that an entertaining race but I think if you were to have more points potentially available, if you were to reverse the top 10 or something…
“I don’t know. It needs some thought to tune it up.”
