F1 confirms record 10 sprint races for 2027 as Monaco and Bahrain join the roster

Formula 1 has formally announced its 2027 World Championship calendar, and the headline is a significant expansion of the sprint format. Sprint events — featuring a shorter race on Saturday and an extra qualifying session on Friday — will increase from six to a record 10 weekends next season, marking the biggest sprint programme in the sport's history.

Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi will host sprint events for the first time, while the format returns to Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar. The news was revealed as the full 24-race calendar was unveiled, with the season scheduled to open in Bahrain on 12-14 March and close in Abu Dhabi on 10-12 December.

Monaco sprint raises eyebrows

The inclusion of a sprint event in Monaco is bound to turn heads, given how difficult overtaking is around the historic street circuit. However, F1 is selling the decision on the fact that it guarantees two qualifying sessions in Monaco — and qualifying around the demanding track is renowned as one of the highlights of the season. Two separate qualifying sessions could also produce two different grid orders, increasing variability.

The flip side, of course, is that with so little room to overtake around Monaco, the finishing order of the sprint will be more or less locked in after the first lap, barring accidents. Elsewhere, sprint weekends are in commercial demand because they increase the chances of selling more tickets, with competitive action on each of the three days of the meeting rather than only Saturday and Sunday. Silverstone believes holding a sprint this year was a large part of the reason for the British Grand Prix's highest-ever attendance — 64,000 more fans attended over the four days compared with the previous year, which was not a sprint.

Portugal and Turkey return

The 2027 season re-introduces races in Portugal and Turkey, both returning to the calendar for the first time since being used as placeholder events during the Covid pandemic. Portugal's meeting at Portimão is scheduled for 20 June, with the circuit having last hosted F1 in 2021. Istanbul makes its comeback on 3 October; it also last hosted a race during the pandemic in 2021 but previously held a regular meeting between 2005 and 2011, subject to FIA circuit homologation.

Elsewhere, Barcelona is no longer included as planned, with the Spanish round set to rotate hosting duties on alternate years with the Belgian GP at Spa, while the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort drops off after being held for the last time this year. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone takes place on the weekend of 2-4 July. For the first time since joining the calendar, Las Vegas will not run back-to-back with Qatar and Abu Dhabi in what was a gruelling finish to the season unpopular with many teams; there is now a one-week gap after the meeting in Nevada. The campaign features three triple-headers: Australia, Japan and China in April; Azerbaijan, Turkey and Singapore in September-October; and the United States, Mexico and Brazil in October-November.

Middle East races remain in doubt

All four races in the Middle East are scheduled to take place in their normal slots, but both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian openers and the Qatar and Abu Dhabi finales remain in doubt while the war in the Middle East continues. In April this year, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix were called off because of the conflict, with Bahrain moved to Malaysia in October. While F1 is planning to complete the 2026 season as scheduled — the championship is due to end with two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi — it is working on contingency plans if those races cannot be held as a result of the continuing conflict between the US/Israel and Iran, with Imola expected to be employed to host the season finale in December if required. The same applies to the start of next season as F1 considers options for an alternative opening schedule if racing in the region looks impossible by the end of this year. Bahrain remains the default season-opening race, though Australia has hosted the first grand prix for the past two years because of the timing of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Pre-season testing is scheduled to be held in Bahrain on 24-27 February.

Sport's bosses welcome expansion

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." He added: "Formula One continues to go from strength-to-strength, attracting new audiences around the globe. Week after week, the world's greatest drivers will battle on some of the most challenging tracks in motor sport, supported by F1's outstanding teams, world-class manufacturers, and global partners. Together, they create a spectacle unlike anything else in sport."

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."