What Is a Formula 1 Sprint Weekend? The 2026 Format Explained
Six 2026 weekends run the faster Sprint format. Here's what a Sprint weekend is, the Friday-to-Sunday running order, how points work, and which six races have one.
Six of the 2026 Formula 1 weekends run a different, faster format: the Sprint. Here's what a Sprint weekend is and how it shakes up the running order.
What is a Sprint?
A Sprint is a short race — about 100km, roughly one-third of a Grand Prix — run on Saturday. There are no mandatory pit stops, so it's flat-out from lights to flag. The top eight score championship points (8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1) that count towards the same title as the main race.
The 2026 Sprint weekend format
A Sprint weekend packs two qualifying sessions and two races into three days, with just one practice session:
| Day | Sessions |
|---|---|
| Friday | Free Practice 1, then Sprint Qualifying (sets the Sprint grid) |
| Saturday | The Sprint (100km race), then Grand Prix Qualifying (sets Sunday's grid) |
| Sunday | The Grand Prix |
Because Sprint Qualifying replaces FP2 and the Sprint replaces FP3, teams get only one hour of practice before everything counts — which is why Sprint weekends often reshuffle the order.
Where are the 2026 Sprints?
Six rounds host a Sprint in 2026: China (Shanghai), Miami, Canada (Montreal), Great Britain (Silverstone), the Netherlands (Zandvoort) and Singapore. Silverstone returns to the Sprint for the first time since the format debuted in 2021, while Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore host their first-ever Sprints.
Read more
See how the points system works, the 2026 schedule with IST times, and the 2026 teams and drivers.
Sources: Sky Sports F1, Formula 1.