MotoGP made a change to their weekend format in 2023 by adding sprint races. Most fans enjoy the extra excitement, but some believe it’s causing problems for qualifying and has made the schedule harder for teams.

Even former KTM team manager Francesco Guidotti has suggested a way to fix this. In an interview with Motorsport-Total.com, he said that the results of the sprint race should decide the starting grid for Sunday’s race. This would make the whole weekend feel more balanced and less stressful.

But What’s the Problem?

Right now, qualifying doesn’t get much attention because everyone mostly focuses on the sprint race, which happens just a few hours later. This makes qualifying feel less important than it used to be.

"Qualifying is only important for two hours now," Guidotti said. "Before, it mattered from Friday all the way to Sunday. Now, the media and fans care more about the sprint race."

Friday is also stressful for riders and teams because they need to perform well to set themselves up for the weekend. Saturday is even tougher, with intense qualifying followed by the sprint race in the afternoon.

Guidotti’s Idea

Guidotti thinks the weekend could be improved by changing how the grid is decided. He suggested this:

1. Use Friday and Saturday practice times to set the grid for the sprint race.
2. Use the sprint race results to decide the grid for Sunday’s race.

This system is already used in World Superbikes, where the sprint race helps decide starting positions for the main race.

Why Would This Help?

This new format could solve a few issues, such as:

• Less stress for teams and riders: Riders wouldn’t need to push as hard on Friday or in qualifying, spreading out the workload.
• More focus on the sprint race: Riders outside the top nine would have more reasons to push hard because the sprint race result would affect their Sunday start.
• Safer racing: Riders might think twice before making risky moves in the sprint, knowing a crash could ruin their starting spot for the main race.

"The whole weekend would feel more balanced," Guidotti explained. "Riders wouldn’t take unnecessary risks, and every race would matter more."

What’s Next?

MotoGP is always looking for ways to improve. Sprint races have been a fun addition, but they could be even better. Guidotti’s idea shows how MotoGP can make the weekend fairer.

Whether or not this plan is ever implemented, it’s clear that MotoGP’s willingness to try new things is keeping fans excited and engaged.