Formula 1 to Expand Sprint Races to 10 Events in 2027 Season

Formula 1 will feature an expanded calendar of 10 sprint races during the 2027 World Championship, a notable increase from the previous maximum of six. The shorter, high-intensity sprint events, which include a Saturday race and an additional qualifying session on Friday, will be introduced for the first time in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco, and Abu Dhabi. These join previously established sprint locations in Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil, and Qatar.

The 2027 season is slated to commence in Bahrain from March 12-14, followed by Saudi Arabia a week later. However, these early-season races, along with the planned concluding events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, remain subject to geopolitical developments in the Middle East. Formula 1 is developing contingency plans should the ongoing conflict impact the viability of holding races in the region.

Pre-season testing is scheduled to take place in Bahrain from February 24-27.

The British Grand Prix is scheduled for July 2-4. The 2027 calendar also marks the return of races in Portugal and Turkey, which previously served as placeholder events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sprint races are known to drive increased fan engagement and ticket sales, with competitive action spread across all three days of a Grand Prix weekend. Silverstone, for example, reported a significant increase in attendance for their 2023 Grand Prix, which featured a sprint event, attributing higher attendance to the format.

The inclusion of a sprint race in Monaco, a circuit notorious for its difficulty in overtaking, is being framed by Formula 1 on the basis of enhanced fan experience through two separate qualifying sessions. This format could potentially lead to varied grid orders, adding an element of unpredictability to the weekend.

Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali expressed enthusiasm for the expanded sprint program, stating, "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, president of the FIA, commented that the 2027 calendar "combines tradition, innovation and fan engagement while maintaining the highest sporting standards."

The 2027 Formula 1 calendar is as follows:

March 12-14: Bahrain (Sprint) March 19-21: Saudi Arabia April 2-4: Australia (Sprint) April 9-11: Japan (Sprint) April 16-18: China April 30-May 2: Miami May 21-23: Canada (Sprint) June 4-6: Monaco (Sprint) June 18-20: Portugal July 2-4: Britain (Sprint) July 9-11: Austria July 23-25: Belgium July 30-August 1: Hungary September 3-5: Italy (Sprint) September 10-12: Spain September 24-26: Azerbaijan October 1-3: Turkey October 8-10: Singapore October 22-24: USA (Austin) October 29-31: Mexico November 5-7: Brazil (Sprint) November 18-20: Las Vegas December 3-5: Qatar (Sprint) December 10-12: Abu Dhabi (Sprint)