Formula 1 Announces Exciting Changes to Sprint Weekend Lineup for 2026 Season
Formula 1 has announced that the British Grand Prix will be part of the Sprint weekend lineup in 2026, along with three other new venues. China and Miami will continue to host Sprint races from the 2025 calendar, while Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Singapore will join the Sprint schedule for the first time in 2026. This marks the biggest change in Sprint locations since F1 increased the number of Sprint weekends from three to six in 2023.
Silverstone, which hosted the first F1 Sprint weekend in 2021, has opted for the traditional format in the past four seasons. The Canadian Grand Prix, now scheduled for May, will debut as a Sprint weekend, as will the Netherlands in its final year on the calendar before being dropped after 2026. Singapore will host the last Sprint of the season in October. Notably, there will be no Sprint weekends in the final six rounds of the 2026 season, as the United States, Sao Paulo, and Qatar races will revert to the conventional F1 format after hosting Sprints earlier in the year.
F1 has reported positive feedback on the Sprint format, citing increased fan attendance and viewership across various platforms. The Sprint format, introduced in 2021, has been well-received by fans, broadcast partners, and promoters, with a 10% average increase in TV viewership compared to traditional weekends last year. F1 President Stefano Domenicali expressed excitement for the 2026 season, highlighting the addition of three new Sprint venues to enhance on-track drama and action for fans.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem praised the evolution of the Sprint format alongside the sport's broader ambitions, emphasizing the enthusiasm from promoters, teams, and fans for the inclusion of new venues and the return of fan-favorite locations. The Sprint format, which includes Sprint Qualifying and a 100km Sprint contest on Saturday, has been well-received since its introduction in 2021. Teams will have the opportunity to make setup changes between Sprint Qualifying and full Qualifying on Saturday, with cars going into parc ferme restrictions before the Grand Prix on Sunday.
As the Formula 1 season progresses, the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku will showcase the Sprint format, providing fans with thrilling racing action. Viewers can catch all the excitement live on Sky Sports F1 and stream Sky Sports with NOW, offering flexibility with no contract and the option to cancel anytime.