Formula 1 Expands Sprint Schedule to 10 Races for 2027 Season

en.malanginspirasi.com – Formula 1 (F1) will expand its sprint schedule to a record 10 events in the 2027 World Championship, with five new venues joining the format next season.

Sprint weekends, featuring a shorter Saturday race and an additional qualifying session on Friday, will be held for the first time in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi.

The remaining sprint events will take place in Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar, according to the 2027 calendar formally announced by Formula 1.

The sport has previously held a maximum of six sprint events in a single season.

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The schedule of 2027 championship will begin in Bahrain on 12-14 March, followed by Saudi Arabia a week later. However, both Middle Eastern races remain uncertain amid the ongoing conflict in the region.

Bahrain is traditionally the default season opener, although Australia has hosted the opening race for the past two seasons because of the timing of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

The 2026 season is scheduled to conclude with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

While F1 intends to complete the calendar as planned, contingency arrangements are being considered in case the continuing conflict involving the US/Israel and Iran makes racing in the region impossible.

Similar contingency planning is being considered for the start of the 2027 season, with F1 examining alternative options should it become clear by the end of this year that racing in the Middle East cannot go ahead.

On Sunday, a summit involving several nations directly involved in or affected by the conflict issued a statement calling for “maximum restraint” in the war.

Portugal and Turkey Return to the Calendar

The 2027 calendar also brings back races in Portugal and Turkey.

Both countries return to the championship after previously hosting races as substitute venues during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The British Grand Prix will take place at Silverstone from 2-4 July.

Sprint races generally cost more for organisers, but the format has become attractive because it creates competitive action across all three days of a race weekend.

That can give circuits more opportunities to attract spectators and sell additional tickets.

Silverstone has previously credited its sprint weekend with helping boost attendance at the British Grand Prix.

The event attracted 64,000 more fans across the four days compared with the previous year, when no sprint was held.

Monaco Set for Sprint Debut

One of the most notable additions to the sprint schedule is Monaco, a decision likely to attract considerable attention given the difficulty of overtaking around the famous street circuit.

Formula 1 is instead highlighting the potential for increased qualifying action.

A sprint weekend in Monaco would mean the venue hosts two qualifying sessions, adding another competitive element at a circuit where qualifying has traditionally been one of the major highlights of the weekend.

The two qualifying sessions could also produce different grid orders, increasing the potential for variation across the weekend.

However, the lack of overtaking opportunities in Monaco could make the sprint itself difficult to change once the opening lap has been completed.

Barring incidents, the running order could remain largely unchanged for the remainder of the short race.

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.”

Meanwhile, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, 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 take place in Bahrain from 24-27 February.