Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore will host sprint rounds for the first time in 2026 amid speculation Formula 1 could be set to boost the number of sprint races to 10 or more per season.

Silverstone will also return to the sprint schedule for the first time since 2021, while Shanghai and Miami have retained their 2025 slots for next season.

The revised allocation will see four of the 100-kiloemetre sprints take place before the mid-season break and no sprint races in the final six rounds.

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The scheduling contrasts with this year’s calendar, where three sprints have been backloaded into the final six weekends.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, a chief proponent of the short-format races in Formula 1, said sprints had proved popular among key stakeholders since their introduction in 2021.

“With four competitive sessions rather than two during a conventional Grand Prix weekend, F1 sprint events offer more action each day for our fans, broadcast partners, and for the promoters, driving increased attendance and viewership.

“The 2026 season will usher in a new era of regulations, so having three new sprint venues will only add to the drama on track.

“I want to thank the FIA, all the promoters, our partners, marshals, volunteers and local sporting clubs for continuing to make the sprint a big success, and we all look forward to giving our fans more incredible racing and excitement in the 2026 season.”

Sprint calendar, 2026

1. Shanghai, China: 14 March

2. Miami, USA: 2 May

3. Montreal, Canada: 23 May

4. Silverstone, UK: 4 July

5. Zandvoort, Netherlands: 22 August

6. Marina Bay, Singapore: 10 October

Montreal, Zandvoort and Marina Bay will be the 12th, 13th and 14th venues to host a sprint in Formula 1 history.

They come at the expense of Sao Paulo, the only race to have held a sprint in all five seasons of the short format to date; Qatar, which has held sprint races every year since joining the calendar full-time in 2023; and Belgium, which hosted its second sprint this season.

Zandvoort will host its first and last sprint, with the Dutch Grand Prix to drop off the calendar after declining to extend its contract beyond 2026.

Singapore had not been previously thought to have been a contender for a sprint weekend given the difficulty overtaking around the street circuit, but the sprint race will take place during punishing daytime conditions in the equatorial city-state, creating a new competitive element.

PIT TALK PODCAST: Michael and Matt delve into F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s ideas to refresh the Formula 1 weekend format, including shorter grands prix, more sprints and reverse grid races.

The sprint format has evolved since its introduction in 2021, when the British Grand Prix hosted the first 100-kilometre experiment as part of a three-round evaluation program.

That year the sprints were used to set the grid for the grand prix, with traditional qualifying instead arranging the starting order for the short race. Practice was cut from three hours to two.

The format proved unpopular, however, in part given the sprint winner, not the fastest qualifier was deemed to be the pole-getter, creating a historical aberration.

Regulation changes in 2023 carved out sprints to stand alone with their own qualifying sessions. Originally Saturday was reserved for sprint sessions only, but since last year sprint qualifying has taken place on Friday night and the sprint race first thing on Saturday. Just one hour of practice is permitted at the beginning of the weekend.

But more format changes are on the horizon, with Domenicali preparing the ground this year for another regulatory shake-up.

Speaking to Italian media in Monza last fortnight, the CEO suggested the sport was considering both increasing the number of sprint races and reverse-grid racing.

“The promoters and the fans want to see action, and now that they have begun to understand that it can be done,” Domenicali said, per Motorsport Italy. “Our polls tell us that the vast majority of the public want to see the drivers fighting for a result.

“To put it simply, they are tired of free practice. This is an objective fact that we cannot ignore.

“The direction is clear: I can guarantee that in a few years the demand will be for every weekend to have the same format.”

Formula 1 has reported a 10 per cent increase in television viewership for sprint weekends in 2024 compared to regular weekends.

It also reported an 84 per cent increase in live viewership for Lewis Hamilton’s sprint win in Shanghai this season among Formula 1’s top 15 markets compared to the same race last year, while Lando Norris’s victory in the Miami sprint attracted an 18 per cent year-on-year increase.

He also said acceptance had grown for a trial of reverse-grid sprint racing.

“It’s a topic on our agenda,” he said. “We’ve discussed it in the past, but in the coming months we’ll need to have the courage to push the discussion forward.

“I’ve even heard from several drivers who proposed it. Initially they were all against it, but at the last meeting many of them said, ‘Why don’t we try?’

Reports suggest the sport is closing in on agreement to run sprint races at between 10 and 12 rounds in 2027 with a new format. No changes are expected in 2026 given the sweeping technical regulation changes due next year that are already expected to put considerable strain on the teams.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem suggested drivers would be consulted on changes to the format.

“I’m pleased to see the Sprint evolving alongside our broader ambitions for the sport,” he said.

“We will continue to work closely with FOM, the teams, our officials and the drivers to ensure the sprint format enhances the championship.”

Piastri praised for pit blunder reaction | 02:00

RACE TIMES CONFIRMED

The FIA has also confirmed the start times for next year’s record-equalling 24 grands prix.

There are, however, some wins for Australian audiences.

The Canadian Grand Prix has been moved to later in the afternoon in Montreal to try to avoid clashing with the Indianapolis 500, which will mean a 6:00am start on Monday morning on the Australian east coast — an improvement on the race’s usual 4:00am start time.

The British Grand Prix will commence at midnight as has become usual, but the Silverstone sprint will take place at a markedly more convenient 9:00pm on Saturday. The Dutch Grand Prix will feature a more family-friendly 8:00pm sprint, as will the Singapore Grand Prix — though the South-East Asian grand prix will take place at 11:00pm on Sunday, on hour later than usual, owing to it now taking place after daylight savings kicks in for most of Australia.

Both the United States and Mexico City grands prix will start at a comfortable 7:00am on Monday, while Las Vegas will retain its 3:00pm start time, which is 8:00pm in Nevada.

2026 grand prix start times (dates and times in AEST/AEDT)

1. Australian Grand Prix (8 March): 3:00pm

2. Chinese Grand Prix (15 March): 6:00pm (sprint: 2:00pm on Saturday, 14 March)

3. Japanese Grand Prix (29 March): 4:00pm

4. Bahrain Grand Prix (13 April): 1:00am

5. Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (19 April): 3:00am

6. Miami Grand Prix (4 May): 6:00am (sprint: 2:00am on Sunday, 3 May)

7. Canadian Grand Prix (25 May): 6:00am (sprint: 2:00am on Sunday, 24 May)

8. Monaco Grand Prix (7 June): 11:00pm

9. Barcelona Grand Prix (14 June): 11:00pm

10. Austrian Grand Prix (28 June): 11:00pm

11. British Grand Prix (6 July): 12:00am (sprint: 9:00pm on Saturday, 4 July)

12. Belgian Grand Prix (19 July): 11:00pm

13. Hungarian Grand Prix (26 July): 11:00pm

14. Dutch Grand Prix (23 August): 11:00pm (sprint: 8:00pm on Saturday, 22 August)

15. Italian Grand Prix (6 September): 11:00pm

16. Spanish Grand Prix (13 September): 11:00pm

17. Azerbaijan Grand Prix (27 September): 9:00pm

18. Singapore Grand Prix (11 October): 11:00pm (sprint: 8:00pm on Saturday, 10 October)

19. United States Grand Prix (26 October): 7:00am

20. Mexico City Grand Prix (2 November): 7:00am

21. Sao Paulo Grand Prix (9 November): 4:00am

22. Las Vegas Grand Prix (22 November): 3:00pm

23. Qatar Grand Prix (30 November): 3:00am

24. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (7 December): 12:00am