The Sprint Q&A: F1's returning format and why it's even more significant

After three entertaining and incident-packed Sprint weekends last year, the format returns at Imola for the Emilia Romagna GP. But what are the benefits of the Sprint, what's happened so far, and what's new?

Ahead of this weekend's action - all live on Sky Sports F1 - we answer some of the key questions about a format that is set to bring even more excitement to 2022.

The Sprint is the name of the shortened Saturday race that debuted in 2021 and is back for 2022, shaking up the usual weekend format and providing more wheel-to-wheel action with another race.

Effectively a mini version of what we see on Sundays, drivers race over 100km - which is a third of the usual race distance and in Imola's case converts to 21 laps - in a flat-out sprint for grid slots for the Grand Prix and points for their championship hopes.

Replacing qualifying in the Saturday slot, we'll see the Sprint at three more rounds in 2022, starting this weekend. It starts at 3.30pm and is live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event, with build-up from 2.30pm.

The 20 drivers start in the order they qualified on Friday evening - more on that below - and their finishing positions 100km later will be the positions they line up in for the start of Sunday's Grand Prix.

If you win, you're starting Sunday's race from pole position; if you're 10th, you start in that same spot one day later, while if you hit technical trouble or crash out, you'll be at the back and left with it all to do.

Yes - and significantly more than last year in one of the key changes.

In 2021, only the top three drivers scored points and there were only a total of six points on offer; three for the winner, two for second and one for third.

In 2022, the top eight will score points and that points