Carlos Sainz believes the Formula 1 tracks returning in 2020 must produce a "spectacle" if they want a long-term future on the calendar.
Due to Covid-19, the sport has had to ditch plans of flying to the Far East and the Americas and is instead set to confirm a 17-race schedule featuring some classic circuits and some new ones to make up the numbers.
Mugello will be the first to debut next month, followed by Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola in October with Istanbul Park also now expected to come back in November.
But while all of those venues have got F1 fans very excited, Sainz says all of them will need to prove they are worthy of hosting F1 again.
“If those ‘old school’ circuits give spectacular races and fun races, the people of F1 and the FIA and the FOM will think ‘why we are going to modern circuits if the old circuits give such a spectacle?’ the McLaren driver commented last week.
“But if those old circuits suddenly produce boring races, we will all say modern circuits have to have a design like that of Baku with very long straights, a middle sector with many curves, and straights with many slipstreams to make spectacular races. It depends on what happens in those next races that will decide the future.”
Red Bull's Alex Albon has already noted that corners like Istanbul's Turn 8 are likely to be easy flat in today's F1 cars, while lap records at each circuit are certain to be broken.
“I think the drivers are going to have fun going to Mugello, Nurburgring and Imola because they are circuits that are very fun in one lap,” added Sainz.
“But if they don’t produce a show, there will be no use going there. I think that in addition to being a sport, F1 has to be a show for people to see it on television and car brands to get involved, so that’s what it takes.”
At Imola, F1 will hold just one 90-minute practice session ahead of qualifying and the race in a new two-day format.
Asked about the change earlier this month Max Verstappen called it "stupid" given the sport hasn't raced there since 2006 and a "shame" as it is a "great track".
Adding his view, Sainz said: “That will be a challenge. Usually, from Friday to Saturday we learn a lot and there are many hours to analyse data.
“Imola will be an interesting test to see what F1 would be like without Fridays.”
While to ensure no teams get an upper hand, although Ferrari did take their 2018 car to Mugello back in June, F1 has now banned any test days at the new circuits that will appear later this year, scuppering one plan of Mercedes.
“We would have taken the 2018 car to some of the tracks,” said team boss Toto Wolff.
“We were planning to go to Portimão, but I think that it’s not the right call.
“I think we’re all looking at saving costs with the prize fund being considerably down, and in that respect, if nobody gains an advantage by not going testing, it’s the right thing to do.”
