F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali said Thursday that discussions are being held to increase the number of Formula 1 sprint races “up to 12″ per season.
The Italian said that the reason that the desire for “real action” across a race weekend was behind the suggestion.
Sprint races, which are one-third of the normal grand prix distance were first introduced in 2021 as a way to add more of a spectacle to race weekends, with three sprints held that season and in 2022.
That number doubled the following year and six sprints have been held in each campaign since 2023. This season, China, Miami, Montreal, Silverstone, Zandvoort and Singapore will host sprint events this year.
Sprints make up a quarter of the 2026 schedule, and Domenicali said F1 wants to stick with 24 grands prix.
It doesn’t come as a complete surprise that the F1 Commission discussed the idea of potentially doubling the amount of sprint race weekends during its latest meeting, which took place on Wednesday, given how the sport’s popularity continues to grow and the sprint feedback has become more positive than the early editions.
Domenicali explained, “The reason why we start to discuss to increase the number of sprints and maybe some different format is because we see the answer that we receive or the points or the feedback we receive from the fans, from the people attending the track, the promoter, that people want to see action, real action during the three days.”
The standard grand prix weekend schedule features three practices, two of which take place on Friday, before qualifying is later on the Saturday and the race is on Sunday. Sprint race weekends, though, only feature one practice on the Friday before diving into more competitive sessions.
“People want to see already on Friday something that is sporting, let’s say, qualifying, points, whatever it is,” the 60-year-old said. “So, it is true that there is the trend to go in the direction of having, even if it is not a sprint every weekend, the other weekend that we do not have a sprint, something different that we are thinking.
“We are thinking to keep relevant every day that we are on track. And, of course, to protect the time needed for the rookies to try to have the time to run. Either having longer time of free practice while we do it or having a session for them to be allowed to start to get in this ecosystem, because it is clear that in a sprint weekend if you are a rookie, you don’t have a lot of time to do it.”
Domenicali said that the drivers will be consulted, adding: “We want to receive their input too because they are part of the game.”
Domenicali has been CEO of Formula One Group since 2021 (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
The drivers, though, have mixed opinions on how they view sprint races. Williams’ Carlos Sainz said during Thursday’s news conference (before Domenicali held his media session), is how sometimes it can “reveal too much of what’s going to happen on Sunday.”
“If we can improve that, make the sprint a bit different to what we see on Sunday, I would be open to having more sprint races,” said Sainz.
The Spaniard believes that race weekend formats should be adjusted too, to allow drivers to prepare for the sport part of the weekend.
“I’m open-minded to produce more time in session, more show on the track, but we need to fine tune things away for from the truck, because a 24-race calendar, with let’s say 12, 24 sprints — imagine if one day we end up there — will be very demanding for everyone in the paddock,” he said.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc described the existing amount of six sprint race weekends as “the sweet spot.”
“Having it as a standardized weekend in the future, if that’s the plan at any time, I don’t think is the right thing, or at least I wouldn’t like it that way, but I’ll drive anyway and adapt to it,” said Leclerc