10 sprint races, 24 races: FIA unveils 2027 F1 calendar as Portugal and Turkey return

Formula 1 will bring its sprint format to Monaco for the first time in 2027, adding another layer of intrigue at a circuit where overtaking is traditionally one of the biggest challenges. The 24-race calendar, announced on Wednesday, will feature a record 10 sprint weekends. The season is due to start in Bahrain on March 14, with pre-season testing taking place at the Sakhir circuit from February 24 to 27.

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Saudi Arabia will follow as the second round on March 21, with the championship then going through a busy schedule that includes two new additions: Portugal and Turkey.

Portugal will return to the F1 calendar on June 20, while Turkey is scheduled for October 3. Their inclusion comes at the expense of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and the Barcelona round, which have been removed from the 2027 schedule.

Four races in the Gulf currently remain on the calendar without special qualifiers, although that may change depending on the ongoing conflict in the region. The uncertainty follows the cancellation of this year’s Saudi Grand Prix in Jeddah, while the Bahrain race has been moved to Sepang in Malaysia and is due to be held there next month.

MONACO SET FOR NEW SPRINT FORMAT

The decision to hold a sprint in Monaco is likely to attract a lot of attention. The narrow streets of the principality offer very little space for overtaking, so qualifying is particularly important and they often leave Sunday’s race with limited opportunities to change position.

However, the sprint format will offer fans more competitive action throughout the weekend. Monaco will have two qualifiers, Friday’s second practice will be replaced by the sprint qualifier.

This change could make the opening day more significant, but it will also reduce the amount of practice time available to drivers at one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.

A sprint winner gets eight points, meaning a driver who wins both the sprint and Sunday’s grand prix can collect 33 points for the weekend, up from the usual maximum of 25.

The 2026 campaign featured six sprint events, a record at the time. F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali hinted in August that the number would rise further, citing strong interest from circuits in hosting the format, which was introduced in 2021.

Formula 1 said its figures show that sprint weekends attract 12 per cent more total viewership than conventional race weekends. Qualifying was also three times more popular with fans than free practice, according to F1 data.

SPRINTS LAYOUT IN THE CALENDAR

Next season, it will hold its first sprint at five locations: Bahrain, Melbourne, Suzuka, Monaco and Abu Dhabi.

Canada, Silverstone, Monza, Interlagos and Lusail will retain their places as returning sprint venues.

The schedule means that three of the four opening rounds will feature sprint races. The same pattern will be repeated at the end of the season, with three of the last four rounds using this format.

After the opening race in Bahrain and the Saudi Arabian round, Australia will host the third race on April 4, followed by Japan on April 11 and China on April 18, creating an early triple-header.

Miami will then host the championship on May 2 before Canada on May 23 and Monaco on June 6.

Later in the year, Azerbaijan on 26 September, Turkey on 3 October and Singapore on 10 October will form the other three races.

Austin, Mexico and Brazil will then complete another triple-header between October 24th and November 7th.

The season will finish later than this year’s campaign, with Qatar scheduled for December 5 and Abu Dhabi concluding the championship on December 12. Both will be sprint weekends.

The 2026 season is currently scheduled to finish in Abu Dhabi on December 6, although that race could still be moved to Imola, Italy, on the same day.

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Published on:

16 Sep 2026 16:12 IST