The 2027 Formula 1 season calendar was just revealed this morning. On the agenda, 24 classic Grand Prix races and ten sprint format races. Monaco will host a sprint weekend for the first time, a real surprise.
In 2027, sprint races will be in the spotlight. Introduced in 2021, the sprint format was created to energize Formula 1 weekends. Since 2021, the number of sprint weekends continues to increase every year. This season, the six sprint races on the schedule took place in Shanghai, Miami, Montreal, Silverstone, Zandvoort and Singapore.
Next year, the number of sprint races will increase from six to ten. Montreal and Silverstone will keep this format. Bahrain, Melbourne, Suzuka, Monza, Monaco, São Paulo, Qatar and Abu Dhabi will also host sprint races in 2027.
The big surprise among these newcomers is Monaco (June 4-6), a shock given the profile of the race is hardly conducive to overtaking. The Portuguese Grand Prix (Portimão, June 18-20), and the Turkish Grand Prix (Istanbul, October 1-3) are also making their return to the calendar.
What to think of a sprint race at Monaco?
The Principality is best known for its narrow track layout, and the importance of Saturday’s qualifying session on the weekend’s results. The track is historic, but in recent seasons there have been many doubts about the Monaco GP as overtaking there is difficult.
The FIA (International Automobile Federation) has been trying for several seasons to give a second life to the Grand Prix in the Principality. In 2025, the mandatory two-stop rule had been put in place to restore suspense to Monaco’s Sunday. In 2026, this obligation had been removed, following numerous criticisms.
Next year it will be a sprint weekend (two qualifying sessions and two races) that will take place at Monaco. A new way to breathe life into this historic circuit that is losing appeal year after year.
The sprint format gaining favor
Originally, a classic weekend was structured as follows: three free practice sessions Friday morning, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, qualifying Saturday afternoon, and the race on Sunday.
However, having less interest with the general public, free practice sessions are being replaced by the sprint format. During a sprint weekend, only one free practice session takes place Friday morning. This is followed by a sprint qualifying Friday afternoon and a sprint race Saturday morning. Then classical qualifying Saturday afternoon and the long race on Sunday.
For the FIA, no doubt about it, sprint weekends are becoming inevitable: “Since the introduction of the sprint in 2021, data shows that the total audience for Sprint weekends is 12% higher than that of weekends without Sprint. Sprint qualifyings are up to three times more popular with fans than free practice.”
In addition to the 25 points awarded to the Grand Prix winner, the sprint format offers eight additional points for its winner, a real opportunity to create gaps in the championship. It remains to be seen whether the sprint winner will benefit from the same prestige as the Grand Prix winner.
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