F1 Sprints: Does the sport need more after backlash?

Formula 1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, has suggested the sport could see an increase in sprint races next year. But is extending the number of sprints the right thing to do?

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

Domenicali has hinted at the idea of having more sprint races on next season’s calendar. This would bring up the current number of sprint weekends from 6 this year, and would mean we would be close to having half a season’s worth of the extended format.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Domenicali said:

“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. Therefore, 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.”

While it has not been confirmed, it is speculated that the number of sprint races next season could go up to around nine or 10. But even if it turns out to be correct, is it the right thing to do?

Pirelli tyre tests conclude in Silverstone

Backlash to the proposal

Many fans and pundits have gone on the immediate attack following this news. Most of the criticisms have been aimed at the financial aspect of the move, suggesting that the decision is yet another way of pricing loyal fans out of the sport.

Others have taken issue with the points format of the sprint. Some fans have highlighted that the lack of points awarded for sprint results makes the event feel like a waste of time. The winner of a sprint race currently only receives an extra 8 championship points.

There is currently limited information about which events are going to be hosting sprint formats next season. The location of these events will undeniably be crucial in gaining fan support. Circuits like Interlagos, Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring are among the favourites to host an extra race in 2027. Meanwhile, tracks like Miami and Singapore raised eyebrows this season as they were given sprints over the more established venues.

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Silverstone’s successful sprint race

The timing of the announcement from Formula 1 appears to be a tactical one, coming just days after a thoroughly entertaining sprint race at Silverstone, which saw Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli narrowly beat Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton for the win.

The attendance of Friday’s running last weekend hit a staggering 150,000 fans. This statistic has been used by Domenicali and the F1 bosses in the past to prove that the appetite for Sprint races over traditional practice sessions is clearly there amongst the fanbase.

Frustrations over Friday’s running appeared to be aimed more at the regulations once again, rather than the format. Many fans called the racing artificial, as the sprints’ lack of tyre management only further highlighted the reliance on battery management to win the race.

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As F1 will enter its sixth season of sprint races in 2027, the conversation surrounding their relevance remains as it has been since the start. The only certainty over the format is that it’s not going away any time soon.

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Sam Wye

Sam Wye