F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali has reiterated his desire to see less practice sessions over Grand Prix race weekends.

Attending the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season, the Italian told SportTV: "I am a supporter of the cancellation of free practice sessions, which are of great use to the engineers but that the public doesn't like."

Of course, this isn't the first time he has said this, having commented last year that he would either like to see free practice sessions scrapped entirely or given meaning by awarding points.

Naturally, most fans greeted his comments with horror.

Sadly, Domenicali, like Ross Brawn, has not only taken the Liberty Media shilling, he has willingly swallowed it.

Had such a suggestion been made when either were working with F1 teams they would have fought such a move tooth and nail, indeed even as young kids attending their first races they would have been aghast at such a proposal.

But now every dumb idea that F1’s 'creatives' come up with is greeted by the likes of Domenicali, Brawn and Pat Symonds – seasoned F1 men – with the sort of "great", "super" enthusiasm previously reserved for CJ in the iconic Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

First off, with little testing of any worth, this year's programme was reduced to three days, teams need all the on-track running they can get.

Yes, free practice does allow teams to test updates, while also getting prepared for the weekend ahead, but with Red Bull and Max Verstappen threatening to run away with the titles surely it is in everyone's interest for rivals to at least try and catch-up, the limitations of the budget cap aside.

Then there's the question of up and coming drivers who need the Friday session to gain and experience and hopefully attract the attention of potential employers.

And of course, let's not forget the fans who want to see as much running as possible, and are paying through the nose for the privilege.

As an aside, and no doubt a portent of what's heading down the line, the much-hyped Las Vegas Grand Prix will not feature any support races of any kind.

Furthermore, fans who sought to get hold of $500 GA (general tickets) when they went on sale recently were to be disappointed, many claiming that none were actually available, and were instead directed to the next tier, at $2,000 a pop.

Speaking last year, Domenicali raised the prospect of giving the free practice session more meaning by awarding points, while there is even talk of revising the entire weekend format so that Friday is given over to practice and qualifying for Sunday's race, while Saturday features a stand-alone championship comprising qualifying in the morning and a Sprint in the afternoon.

You've seen how Liberty envisages the future, Hot Wheels or Scalextric tracks in the middle of darkened cities, cities that in all honesty could be anywhere on planet.

F1 made a shrewd move by getting a world championship going in 2020 - then again it had to or else the sport could have gone bust.

Meanwhile, lockdown ensured that there was a captive audience for Drive to Survive which up until then had enjoyed limited success on Netflix.

Have at least one driver gurning at every opportunity, another pouting, a team principal with Tourettes another couple who clearly hate one another, and, as Christian Horner so aptly described it, you have the "Kardashians on Wheels".

Aided and abetted by the likes of Brawn and Domenicali, Liberty is taking F1 down a road from which there will be no return.

Continue to tinker with the sport at your peril.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by trackrecords, 31/03/2023 21:43

"Twenty years ago, Mercedes-Benz would now be testing every day trying to get a competitive car - currently they are try to do it in FP 1 and 2.
Deleting FP sessions would mean the races would become test sessions, as the Newey-designed cars just disappear even faster into the distance.
Less practice just hands the race performance to the most-successful teams - don't hamper progress by limiting practice for everybody. Instead give RBR less track time instead as a success handicap [using a single car for the reserve driver] - have to carry ballast: use the Tyrrell water-tank lead additive method perhaps?
If Stefano wants to spice things up introduce a third car for a reserve driver, and give them a separate championship - a Saturday race - almost like a karting 'B' Final, [in the previous year's car?] and the top-3 get to start Sunday's GP at the back? That way it gives track action on Saturday but keep the FP sessions. "

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2. Posted by kenji, 28/03/2023 4:19

"@ Defiant...Maybe it wasn't clear but I did say that maybe we should wait to see just what they F1 come up with to replace the existing format. I wasn't advocating that nothing take place...like the extinction of testing."

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3. Posted by alvarezh3, 28/03/2023 3:28

"@Defiant

"Killing practice AND testing just makes things worse, not better."

That is exactly what they want to happen. If they could, they would eliminate testing all together in order to get the cars shuffled in qualy to mix the grid. By doing that they can't be accused of manipulating the grid to make the race "more exiting".

So if Ferrari and Aston Martin find themselves one day out of Q3 and Williams and Haas in, that would be a "natural" occurrence. Nice, eh?"

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4. Posted by jo6pac, 28/03/2023 2:16

"I agree and while he ad it quaiifing should done with trow darts at a dart board and who has the high score wins pole;-)

8. Posted by Defiant, 8 hours ago
I agree. I can't watch f-1 anymore because it's on pay tv and I don't the money for that. The new owners of f-1 make bernie look like a good guy."

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5. Posted by Defiant, 27/03/2023 21:34

"@kenji, I for one wouldn't be opposed to changes if they made sense. Taking away practice sessions is a terrible idea for the circuit owners and add that to the testing ban, I just don't see a benefit to fans at all.
I like ChickenFarmerF1's idea.
If you plan on changing Friday up, to stop practice sessions and give us something more interesting, so it doesn't kill promoters and circuit revenue, then I'd imagine most teams would be up for that, but only IF, they got free reign on pre and mid season track testing.
Killing practice AND testing just makes things worse, not better."

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6. Posted by kenji, 27/03/2023 21:14

"With certain format changes being up for discussion it seems as though there is almost zip pick up. That is not unusual. Lots of people resent change from what has become a 'norm', especially F1!. Three practice sessions, IMO are simply boring but some FP is a definite must if the teams are to extract max performances for the ensuing races. One would think that with such advanced F1 race technology that a high degree of race prep consistency could be dialled in without hours of boring practice. What exacerbates these sessions is that no one has a clue what's going on as set up, covering fuel/engine modes etc etc are never publicised. Is it any wonder that F1 itself is looking at some revison to the format to see if Fridays/Saturdays can be made more fun. What I'm saying is that there should be a full revision and then if some better formats are found, try them out and see where it leads. There is no harm in that but to reject them out of hand achieves zippedy doo dah."

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7. Posted by alvarezh3, 27/03/2023 20:02

"@ Italian Job

Well, well, who knows, maybe he is using Liberty's exposure as a base for a future as a P.M. of Italy! :-)

Hey! who would have thought 20 years ago that Stefano would be running F1, don't stamp out a political future! :-)"

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8. Posted by Italian Job, 27/03/2023 19:44

"When Domenicali was first appointed to Liberty, I, along with I guess many others, regarded him as an honest man, a man of principles. I am starting to think that he’s about as honest as the leader of any of our main political parties....
@alvarezh3: Maybe it would be a good idea for Liberty to run ALL the race weekends themselves – hire the tracks, sell the tickets, staff the turnstiles, hire the marshals, contract the caterers and organise the cleaning up afterwards. Oh, all costs to be paid up front or into escrow, as well. . . . . .
Let them try it?
"

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9. Posted by ian_w, 27/03/2023 19:28

"I think Stefano's objective is to have them "just s--- up and race"!"

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10. Posted by ChickenFarmerF1, 27/03/2023 19:22

"Given the restrictions on testing (especially in-season, but pre-season too) reducing the amount of practice session time is asinine. If they want to reduce the practice sessions make general testing unlimited."

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11. Posted by alvarezh3, 27/03/2023 18:56

"I believe the F1 weekend race format is decided by the FIA (don't know if that includes the support races). If so, Domenicaly's desires are wishful thinking.

If that ever come to be true, I wonder how many track owners/promoters are going to be able to survive without Friday's revenue. Is Liberty ready to start buying (or renting) racetracks or become almost every F1 race promoters also?

What next Stefano?"

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12. Posted by Defiant, 27/03/2023 18:16

"And another nail in the coffin of F1. I'm beginning to think this is actually a plan unfolding to kill F1 altogether. I just refuse to believe that anyone with a history of F1 would choose to do any of this nonsense we have witnessed in the last few years without ulterior motives. Something dodgy HAS to be afoot.

I wonder how much personal money they have invested in e-sports, electric formulas or any supply company for those avenues???"

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13. Posted by Editor, 27/03/2023 17:43 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 27/03/2023 17:50)

"@ phantom

Great!

Super!

I wonder if Stefano has 'farting' chairs in his office..."

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14. Posted by phantom, 27/03/2023 17:37

"I didn't get where I am today but not enjoying the practice sessions!"

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15. Posted by elsiebc, 27/03/2023 15:38 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 27/03/2023 17:50)

""the public doesn't like (free practice)." This man is clearly not a fan and has no right being in his position in OUR sport! "

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Domenicali reiterates desire to curb practice sessions

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