F1 to have 10 sprint races in 2027, including Monaco

Formula 1 will expand its sprint race programme to ten events for the 2027 World Championship, increasing from the previous maximum of six. The inaugural sprints will take place in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi, while additional sprint events are slated for Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar, as confirmed when the calendar was formally announced. The 2027 season is set to open in Bahrain on 12‑14 March, with a follow‑up round in Saudi Arabia the subsequent week. However, several events remain uncertain owing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Although Bahrain is the traditional season‑opener, Australia has hosted the opening Grand Prix for the past two years because of the timing of Ramadan. The 2026 championship is scheduled to conclude with two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. F1 states it is preparing to run the calendar as planned, but it is also developing contingency measures should those rounds be affected by the continuing US‑Israel‑Iran struggle. The same considerations apply to the start of the 2028 season, as F1 explores alternative opening dates if Middle East racing proves untenable by the end of this year. On Sunday, a summit involving several nations engaged with or affected by the conflict released a statement urging "maximum restraint" in the war. The British Grand Prix is fixed for 2‑4 July, and the 2027 calendar reinstates races in Portugal and Turkey, marking their first appearance since serving as pandemic‑era placeholders. Sprint events typically entail higher costs for organisers, yet they are in demand because they increase ticket‑sale opportunities by providing competitive action across all three days of a weekend, rather than only Saturday and Sunday. The decision to hold a sprint at Silverstone this year contributed significantly to the British Grand Prix’s record attendance—64,000 more fans attended over the four‑day period compared with the previous non‑sprint season. Including a sprint at Monaco is likely to raise eyebrows, given the historical street circuit offers few overtaking chances. Nevertheless, F1 promotes the idea on the basis that it will create two qualifying sessions at the principality—an undertaking renowned as a season highlight—and could produce two distinct grid orders, adding variability. The downside is that, due to limited overtaking, the sprint’s finishing order will largely be determined after the opening lap, barring incidents. Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 president and chief executive officer, said: "We are thrilled to invited Portugal and Turkey to the title and to grow sprint racing to 10 events, giving our fans adjacent much intensity, drama, and the wheel-to-wheel action that make our athletics so special." Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, F1’s governing body, said: "The 2027 FIA F1 World Championship calendar is simply a strong reflection of the planetary entreaty and continued maturation of our sport. "With 24 grands prix across 5 continents, the instrumentality of Portugal and Turkey, and the accidental for an expanded sprint programme, the calendar combines tradition, innovation and instrumentality engagement portion maintaining the highest sporting standards." Pre‑season testing is also scheduled to occur in Bahrain from 24‑27 February.