Sports · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
F1 Confirms 2027 Calendar With 10 Sprint Races, Including Monaco
The 2027 F1 calendar features 24 races with a record 10 sprint weekends. Monaco hosts a sprint weekend for the first time in the 2027 season.
15 outlets, one story, no spin found.
9 of 10 outlets skipped it: non-sprint viewership is 12% higher on sprint weekends.
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F1 expands sprints
Formula 1 has confirmed a 24-race 2027 calendar that begins with a Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14 and ends with an Abu Dhabi finale on December 12, while increasing sprint weekends from six to 10.
“Bahrain opens the championship on March 14, while Abu Dhabi hosts the finale on December 12”
The sprint format is set to debut at Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi, with Monaco becoming the first circuit to host a sprint race for the first time ever.
The schedule also keeps a Middle East opening double-header, with Saudi Arabia listed for March 21, and it sets pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 24-27.
The calendar further includes returns in Portugal and Türkiye, with Portugal at Portimão on June 20 and Türkiye at Istanbul on October 3, while Zandvoort and Barcelona are not on the 2027 schedule.
F1’s expanded sprint programme is framed around audience demand, with Formula 1 saying total viewership on Sprint weekends is 12% higher than on non-Sprint weekends.
Monaco’s sprint shock
Monaco’s sprint weekend is highlighted as a major change because the principality circuit is described as a place where track position has traditionally been unusually important due to the difficulty of overtaking.
The Independent says the 2027 timetable is being released amid Middle East uncertainty after the United States-Iran war, and it notes that the publication of next year’s schedule was delayed due to that conflict.
F1’s plan for Monaco is tied to adding an extra qualifying session, with Sky Sports saying fans are “set to enjoy two thrilling qualifying sessions” around the streets of Monte Carlo.
Autosport adds that F1 is keen to “lean into Monaco's qualifying spectacle” by offering two separate qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday.
Beyond Monaco, the sprint calendar is also set to include Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with Canada and Great Britain among the venues where the format returns.
What’s at stake next
The 2027 plan keeps Qatar and Abu Dhabi as the season-ending races, with Qatar scheduled for December 5 and Abu Dhabi for December 12, and it also confirms a sprint weekend at Abu Dhabi for the first time.
“The status of this year’s season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remains in doubt”
RaceFans says the status of this year’s season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remains in doubt, and it adds that a decision on whether those events will go ahead would be announced in mid-September.
The Race describes a “Plan B” approach tied to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, saying that if Bahrain and Saudi Arabia cannot take place when scheduled, F1 would look to bring forward the Australia/China/Japan events to kick off the campaign instead.
Autosport similarly notes that F1 is “adamant Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead as scheduled until further notice,” while Motorsport.com understands preparations are ongoing in Imola to host the season finale if neither Middle Eastern race can take place.
With the 2027 calendar already published, the stakes for teams and fans are immediate: the Monaco sprint and the expanded sprint schedule reshape the competitive weekend structure, while the Middle East uncertainty continues to affect how the season’s end and start may unfold.