Domenicali hints at expansion of F1 Sprint calendar in 2027

Formula 1's Sprint experiment looks set for its biggest expansion yet in 2027, according to Stefano Domenicali.

Five years after the short-format races made their debut at Silverstone, the series appears ready to double down on the concept, with the Formula 1 CEO strongly signalling that more Sprint weekends will feature on the 2027 calendar.

The format has remained one of Grand Prix racing’s most divisive innovations. Traditionalists continue to argue that Sprint races dilute the significance of Sunday's Grand Prix, while supporters believe they inject meaningful action into every day of a race weekend.

If Domenicali's latest comments are any indication, Formula 1 has already decided which side of that debate it is on.

F1 sees Sprints as a winning formula

Speaking during the British Grand Prix weekend, where Formula 1 celebrated record attendance figures, Domenicali argued that the sport has been vindicated for pushing ahead with an idea that initially attracted widespread skepticism.

"If you remember in the beginning, people were always skeptical 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,” the Italian told Sky Sports F1.

"I think you see the effect. With the [150,000] people we had on Friday at Silverstone, if you don't give something that has an action, it would be wrong."

The Sprint format, first introduced at the 2021 British Grand Prix, has evolved several times over the past five seasons.

Under the current structure, teams have just one practice session before Sprint qualifying on Friday, followed by Saturday's 100km Sprint race.

Parc fermé restrictions are then lifted before teams prepare their cars for Grand Prix qualifying later that afternoon, with Sunday's feature race remaining the weekend's headline event.

For Formula 1's commercial leadership, the attraction is clear: every day of the weekend carries competitive significance, giving ticket holders more reasons to fill the grandstands from Friday onwards.

Bigger plans already in motion

While a report from Sky Sports F1 insisted the number of Sprint events would increase from 8 to 10 in 2027, Domenicali did not confirm the number, but he did make clear that an expansion is already being prepared.

"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," he concluded.

Whether that prospect delights or frustrates fans will depend largely on which side of the Sprint debate they occupy.

Critics continue to view the races as little more than high-speed curtain-raisers, while Formula 1's leadership sees them as an essential ingredient in keeping modern race weekends – and their commercial attraction – engaging from the moment the cars hit the track.

If the upcoming calendar announcement confirms the expected expansion, the Sprint era will move from experiment to an even more prominent pillar of Formula 1's future.

Read also: Domenicali sets deadline to restore cancelled race to F1 calendar

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