India Today ·
Sport
10 sprint races, 24 races: FIA reveals F1 2027 calendar as Portugal, Turkey return
Formula 1 has put Monaco on the sprint roster and expanded the 2027 calendar to 24 races. There will be a total of 10 sprint races next season with Portugal and Turkey also returning to the calendar.
Formula 1 will bring its sprint format to Monaco for the first time in 2027, adding another layer of intrigue to a circuit where overtaking has traditionally been one of the biggest challenges. The 24-race calendar, announced on Wednesday, will feature a record 10 sprint weekends. The season is scheduled to get underway in Bahrain on March 14, with pre-season testing taking place at the Sakhir circuit from February 24 to 27.
Saudi Arabia will follow as the second round on March 21, with the championship then moving through a packed 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.
The four Gulf races currently remain on the calendar without any special qualifiers, although the situation could change depending on the ongoing conflict in the region. The uncertainty follows the cancellation of this year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, while Bahrain's race was moved to Sepang in Malaysia and is scheduled to take place there next month.
The decision to stage a sprint in Monaco is likely to attract plenty of attention. The narrow streets of the principality offer very little room for overtaking, making qualifying particularly important and often leaving the Sunday race with limited opportunities for position changes.
The sprint format will, however, give fans more competitive action across the weekend. Monaco will have two qualifying sessions, with Friday's second practice replaced by sprint qualifying.
That 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.
The sprint winner earns eight points, meaning a driver who wins both the sprint and Sunday's grand prix can collect 33 points across the weekend, compared with the usual maximum of 25.
The 2026 campaign featured six sprint events, already a record at the time. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had indicated 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 showed sprint weekends attracting 12 percent more total viewership than conventional race weekends. Qualifying was also three times as popular with fans as free practice, according to F1's data.
Five venues will stage their first-ever sprint next season: Bahrain, Melbourne, Suzuka, Monaco and Abu Dhabi.
Canada, Silverstone, Monza, Interlagos and Lusail will retain their places as returning sprint venues.
The schedule means three of the opening four rounds will feature sprint races. The same pattern will be repeated towards the end of the season, with three of the final four rounds using the format.
After the Bahrain opener and 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 September 26, Turkey on October 3 and Singapore on October 10 will form another three-race run.
Austin, Mexico and Brazil will then complete another triple-header between October 24 and November 7.
The season will finish later than this year's campaign, with Qatar scheduled for December 5 and Abu Dhabi bringing the championship to a close on December 12. Both will be sprint weekends.
The 2026 season is currently scheduled to end in Abu Dhabi on December 6, although that race could yet be shifted to Imola in Italy on the same date.
