A1 GP to use revised race format

The series' executive board and seat holders met in London today to finalise plans for next season, with the major changes being to the timings of the sprint and feature race.

Each meeting's feature race will be extended by 10 minutes to provide a 70-minute encounter, with the sprint race being shortened to just 20 minutes.

Crucially though, the points scoring system will change. Last season each race carried an equal amount of points, with 10 for the winner decreasing by one point down to tenth place.

The sprint race winner will now receive just six points, decreasing by one point until sixth place. The feature race scoring system will remain unchanged.

The time gap between the races will also be changed, with three and half hours separating the pair, instead of an hour. This has been put down to the need to allow for nearly for scrutineering, the lodging of any protests and technical adjustments to the cars.

It is likely that TV companies will therefore show the Sprint race as delayed coverage on their broadcasts, before transmitting the feature race live.

The seat holders also committed to a 12-race calendar for the season, which begins in Zandvoort on October 1. Details of the calendar will be unveiled when race contracts have been signed.