F1 expands sprint programme to 10 races for 2027, with Monaco included
Formula 1 has increased the number of sprint races from six to 10 for the 2027 World Championship, and Monaco will stage a sprint for the first time, the sport said when it formally announced the 2027 calendar.
Sprint events, which comprise a shorter race on Saturday and an additional qualifying session on Friday, will be introduced at Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi for 2027; existing sprint venues will include Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar. The maximum number of sprints in a season to date has been six.
The 2027 season is scheduled to open in Bahrain on 12-14 March, with Saudi Arabia set to follow a week later, but F1 said both events remain in doubt because of the war in the Middle East. Bahrain is identified as the default season-opener, although Australia hosted the first grand prix in each of the past two years because of the timing of Ramadan.
F1 said it intends to complete the 2026 calendar as scheduled, which is due to finish with two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but is preparing contingency plans if those events cannot take place as a result of the continuing conflict between the US/Israel and Iran. The same contingency approach applies to the start of the 2027 season, with F1 considering options for an alternative opening schedule should Middle East racing look impossible by the end of this year.
A summit of some of the nations involved or affected by the conflict issued a statement on Sunday urging "maximum restraint" in the war. The British Grand Prix will be held on 2-4 July, and the 2027 calendar brings back races in Portugal and Turkey, which had last appeared as placeholder events during the pandemic.
Organisers are aware sprint weekends usually carry higher costs but can boost ticket sales by offering competitive action across three days rather than just Saturday and Sunday; Silverstone believes its sprint was a major factor in the British Grand Prix recording 64,000 more fans over the four days compared with the previous year, which did not feature a sprint. The inclusion of a sprint at Monaco is contentious because overtaking is almost impossible around the street circuit, but F1 promotes the change on the basis that it will provide two qualifying sessions at Monaco.
F1 warned the two separate qualifying sessions could produce different grid orders and thus greater variability, while conceding the finishing order of a Monaco sprint will be "pretty much locked in once the cars have completed the first lap, barring accidents." F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said: "We are thrilled to welcome Portugal and Turkey to the championship and to expand sprint racing to 10 events, giving our fans even more intensity, drama, and the wheel-to-wheel action that make our sport so special." Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of F1's governing body the FIA, said: "The 2027 FIA F1 World Championship calendar is a strong reflection of the global appeal and continued growth of our sport. "With 24 grands prix across five continents, the return of Portugal and Turkey, and the opportunity for an expanded sprint programme, the calendar combines tradition, innovation and fan engagement while maintaining the highest sporting standards."
Pre-season testing is scheduled to be held in Bahrain on 24-27 February. Races listed in the published calendar that are shown in bold are the sprint weekends.
