‘Not the smartest thing’ – Max Verstappen slams F1 decision as Chinese Grand Prix returns for the first time in 4 years

MAX VERSTAPPEN has slammed F1 ahead of the return of the Chinese GP after a four-year absence.

The Shanghai International Circuit was last used in 2019 when Lewis Hamilton won the race.

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Max Verstappen wants more than one hour to practice at the Chinese GP[/caption]

Despite the drivers not visiting the track for almost half a decade, F1 officials are only allowing them one hour to practice.

The circuit had been a regular fixture on the calendar, however, when the pandemic disrupted world sport it was removed.

It makes its return this weekend and will include a sprint race.

With the new schedule, drivers will start the weekend with their practice hour before sprint qualifying.

On Saturday, there will be a sprint race, and then qualifying with the Grand Prix on Sunday.

However, the decision to limit practice to just one hour has proved to be an unpopular decision amongst the drivers.

When asked about the situation, Red Bull star Verstappen could only give a sarcastic response.

He said: “Yeah, it’s very smart to do that!”

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He continued: “I think it’s not great, let’s say like that, to do that.

“Because when you have been away from a track for quite a while, I think you never know what you’re going to experience, right?

“So it would have been better to have a normal race weekend there.

“But on the other hand, it probably spices things up a bit more, and that’s maybe what they would like to see.

“But yeah, purely from a driving perspective, performance perspective of the sport, I think it’s not the smartest thing to do.”

Verstappen’s sentiments were echoed by Ferrari star Carlos Sainz.

He added: “It’s just a great racing track and a track that offers a good possibility to overtake, so a Sprint makes sense to have it there.

“At the same time, it’s what we said in the drivers’ briefing.

“We say to FIA and Formula One, with these kinds of cars to go to a track with one hour of practice and straight into qualifying, with the regulations that they put us, with the plank wear and things like this, and how tricky one bump could make the car.

“I think it’s not a good choice to choose to put the Sprint after four or five years absence.”

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