F1 Set to Expand Sprint Races to Nine or Ten Events in 2027

F1 Set to Expand Sprint Races to Nine or Ten Events in 2027

By Alex Christian | MBCF News — July 7, 2026

Formula 1 is preparing to increase the number of Sprint weekends for the 2027 season, as confirmed by president Stefano Domenicali.

In an interview with Sky Sports at Silverstone, Domenicali revealed that the sport will announce an increased number of Sprints when the official 2027 calendar is released in the near future.

It is understood that the schedule will likely feature nine or ten Sprint events, expanding from the current total of six.

The Sprint format introduces a shootout qualifying session on Friday and a 100km race on Saturday morning, ahead of standard Grand Prix qualifying and Sunday's main event.

Since expanding to six events per season, the format has successfully driven higher track attendance and larger global television audiences.

Reflecting on the format's five-year history, Domenicali remarked, “If you remember in the beginning, people were always sceptical of what we're doing, and I think that we have the duty to be, in a way, brave and to think out of the box.”

He noted that the massive fan turnout on Friday at Silverstone proves the format's entertainment value: “I think you see the effect. With the people we had on Friday at Silverstone, if you don't give something that has an action it would be wrong.”

Domenicali concluded by emphasizing that F1 plans to keep building on this momentum: “Therefore, I think that this is the way to go, and we are on the process of announcing the bigger number for the future and this will come when we announce the calendar very, very soon. Stay tuned.”

ANALYSIS: Why More Sprints Mean More Action for F1 Fans

When Stefano Domenicali smiled at Silverstone and told the world to "stay tuned" for nine or ten Sprints in 2027, he wasn’t just talking about shifting dates on a calendar. He was signaling a massive shift in how we experience a grand prix weekend. Formula 1 is officially moving away from quiet practice sessions and leaning heavily into non-stop, meaningful track action.

*Turning Fridays into a True Race Day*  

Let's face it: traditional Fridays could be a bit of a slog. Teams spent hours running data-gathering laps while grandstands sat half-empty and fans at home checked the timing screens out of pure habit. The "Silverstone Effect" that Domenicali praised so highly changes that entirely. By throwing a high-stakes Sprint Shootout into Friday afternoon, the entire weekend comes alive a day early. For the fans who save up their hard-earned money for a three-day ticket, every single day now delivers meaningful, competitive action.

*Pure, Unfiltered Saturday Racing*  

The beauty of the 100km Saturday Sprint is its simplicity. There are no complex pit-stop strategies to calculate, no tire-saving games, and no hiding behind computer models. It is simply drivers racing flat-out from lights to flag. This format creates brilliant, unexpected overtaking and gives midfield drivers a genuine shot at earning a moment in the spotlight. Of course, it is a high-wire act. Under the strict modern budget cap, a single mistake or a crash on Saturday can completely ruin a team’s main Grand Prix on Sunday, adding a layer of genuine tension to every single corner.

*The Verdict: A Sport Daring to Evolve*  

Domenicali’s urge for the sport to be "brave" and "think out of the box" shows exactly where Formula 1 is heading. Liberty Media is unapologetically choosing entertainment, packed grandstands, and gripping television over old traditions. Expanding to nine or ten Sprints by 2027 will undoubtedly push mechanics, drivers, and engineers to their absolute limits. But for the people watching in the grandstands and on screens around the world, it simply means more of what we love: real, wheel-to-wheel racing.

Source: Stefano Domenicali interview with Sky Sports at Silverstone, 2026.