Things you should know about F1 in 2023

After we confirmed our 2023 Season Launch date (February 6th at 2pm GMT if you missed it), anticipation is now ramping up ahead of the new season.

Every season brings with it plenty of changes, and whilst 2023’s alterations aren’t at the same level as last year's car refresh, they’re still worth noting.

Here are some things you should know about Formula 1 in 2023…

Following its introduction in 2021, the past two seasons have seen three F1 Sprint weekends each, but that’s all set to change in 2023.

We’ll be getting double the number this year, with six Grands Prix set to hold an F1 Sprint.

Austria and São Paulo will once again host the 100km long race, whilst Azerbaijan, Belgium, USA (Austin) and Qatar also get the revised weekend format.

If you’re new to Formula 1 (welcome!), an F1 Sprint weekend sees the traditional qualifying session move to a Friday to set the grid for a shortened race on Saturday.

That shortened Saturday race – called the F1 Sprint – is one-third of the length of Sunday’s Grand Prix which it sets the grid for, whilst also offering points for the top eight finishers.

The United States will once again host three F1 Grands Prix in 2023, having done so previously in 1982.

Back then it was Long Beach, Detroit and the parking lot of the Caesar’s Palace hotel – and it’s a return to Las Vegas that once again gives us a Stateside trio this year.

Having built a solid foundation at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas for the past decade, the rising popularity of our sport saw us head to Florida for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix last season before being joined by a night race that takes in Sin City’s famous strip in 2023.

With our very own Logan Sargeant becoming the first American to feature on the grid since 2015, it’s certainly set to be an exciting year.

Incidentally, only one other nation can boast of hosting three Grands Prix in a calendar season. This came in the COVID-affected 2020 campaign where we raced at Italy’s Monza, Imola and Mugello circuits.

No F1 driver wants to be looking in their mirrors, but when they need to this season, it will be slightly different for them.

To help with blind spots, the FIA has decided to increase the size of the mirror's reflective surface with an added 50mm of width.

We were given the chance to use the larger mirrors in a group test at last season’s Dutch Grand Prix.

However, these new mirrors are still going to be much smaller than those you might be accustomed to on your everyday road car.

F1 and the FIA are always looking to make the sport safer after the dramatic scenes that unfolded at Turn 1 of last season's British Grand Prix.

The lessons learned from Zhou Guanyu’s horrific crash have brought with them the implementation of stronger roll hoops, with the part now required to withstand 15G of impact with the ground.