A Shorter, Faster Weekend Feature
Six of the 2026 Formula 1 season’s 23 rounds feature the sprint format, a compressed race weekend designed to deliver more competitive track action across all three days.
The 2026 Sprint Venues
- China (Shanghai)
- Miami
- Canada (Montreal)
- Great Britain (Silverstone)
- Netherlands (Zandvoort)
- Singapore
How a Sprint Weekend Runs
Friday features just one practice session, followed by Sprint Qualifying, which sets the grid for Saturday’s Sprint. Saturday afternoon then hosts standard qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix, meaning drivers effectively complete two full qualifying sessions and two races across the weekend.
Sprint Qualifying Format
Sprint Qualifying mirrors the main qualifying structure explained in our qualifying guide, but with shorter segments: SQ1 lasts 12 minutes, SQ2 ten minutes, and SQ3 eight minutes, with six drivers eliminated at each of the first two stages.
Sprint Points
The Sprint itself awards points to the top eight finishers on a reduced scale: 8 points for the winner, down to 1 point for eighth place. These points count directly toward the same drivers’ and constructors’ totals covered in our standings breakdown, rather than forming a separate table.
A New Wrinkle for 2026
This year introduced a change to parc fermé rules, splitting what was once one long setup-locked window into two separate periods. Teams can now legally adjust car setup between Saturday’s Sprint and Saturday afternoon’s Grand Prix qualifying, something that wasn’t previously allowed.
Why It Matters
Over a full season, sprint points can add up meaningfully. A driver who rarely wins outright can still stay in touch with the championship battle by consistently scoring points across all six sprint weekends.
Conclusion
Sprint weekends pack extra competitive action into a race weekend without replacing the core Grand Prix. With six on the 2026 calendar, they remain a small but meaningful part of the championship fight.