World champion Lando Norris has warned that the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix will pose a significantly greater test for Formula 1 drivers than the race has traditionally presented, largely because the event will adopt the Sprint race format for the first time. The 2027 F1 calendar, which was released on Wednesday, now features ten Sprint weekends – an increase of four compared with the current season – and Monaco’s iconic street circuit is slated to be one of those Sprint venues.
Monaco’s narrow, winding streets have long been infamous for offering almost no overtaking opportunities. Historically, the Sprint format has been employed on circuits where passing is more feasible, allowing drivers to earn extra points in a short, high‑intensity race on Saturday.
By contrast, the Principality’s tight layout is already regarded as perhaps the most demanding circuit on the calendar when it comes to qualifying, where a single mistake can cost a driver dearly. Adding a Sprint race to such a setting introduces a novel set of strategic and practical challenges.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Natalie Pinkham at the BMW PGA Championship Pro‑Am at Wentworth, where he was joined by golfer Justin Rose, Norris broke down what the change means for the teams and drivers. "Interesting," he said, before elaborating: "I guess the main thing is that means you’ve got FP1, then Sprint qualifying on Friday – and that’s the challenge. Obviously not a lot happens in a race on Sunday or in the Sprint, but the challenge is just one practice session straight in, which has probably never happened before in Monaco." Under the current regulations, drivers normally enjoy three one‑hour practice sessions spread across Friday and Saturday.
These sessions allow them to fine‑tune the car’s setup, gather data, and build a rhythm on the notoriously unforgiving circuit, where even a small error can lead to a costly crash. With the new Sprint schedule, the entire preparation window collapses into a single 60‑minute session on Friday morning. That means engineers and drivers must extract every ounce of information in a fraction of the time they are accustomed to.
Norris explained how this compressed timetable will force teams to rely heavily on data from the previous year. "That’s more about relying on data from this year," he said. "Obviously tougher for us as drivers. You don’t have as much time to build up to things, so you’re probably going to have to risk a little bit more earlier, which is normally when you can see a bit more of a difference between people who can get comfortable, try things and be at 99 per cent and not go to 103 or 104 per cent because in Monaco when you go to that limit, game over." In other words, the limited practice will push drivers to push the car closer to its performance edge earlier than they normally would.
On a circuit where the margin for error is razor‑thin, that extra risk could either pay off with a strong qualifying position or result in a premature end to a weekend’s ambitions. Norris believes this dynamic will make the event more thrilling for spectators. "It’s more exciting for the fans and the people watching," he added.
The stakes are particularly high for Norris, who already boasts a memorable victory at Monaco. He secured pole position and went on to win the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix during his title‑winning campaign, demonstrating his ability to master the circuit’s unique challenges. Returning to a track where he has previously excelled, but now with a radically altered weekend format, will test his adaptability and his team’s strategic acumen. From a broader perspective, the introduction of Sprint races at traditionally low‑overtake venues like Monaco reflects Formula 1’s ongoing effort to enhance the spectacle and keep the sport’s format fresh.
While some purists argue that the Sprint dilutes the prestige of the main race, others, including Norris, see it as an opportunity to inject additional excitement and unpredictability. The compressed practice schedule could also lead to more varied tyre strategies, as teams will have less data to predict tyre degradation on Monaco’s tight corners and elevation changes. Fans can look forward to a weekend where the traditional three‑day rhythm is replaced by a high‑pressure sprint weekend: Friday will feature a single free‑practice session followed by a knockout‑style Sprint qualifying, then the Sprint race itself on Saturday, and finally the Grand Prix on Sunday.
This compressed format means that any mistake in the lone practice hour could have amplified consequences, as teams will have limited time to adjust aerodynamic settings, suspension geometry, and brake balance – all crucial for navigating Monaco’s tight hairpins and the iconic tunnel. The shift also places a premium on driver feedback. With less time on track, engineers will depend heavily on the driver’s ability to convey precise information about grip levels, balance, and handling characteristics.
Norris’s experience and his reputation for providing clear, actionable feedback could give McLaren an edge in extracting maximum performance from the car under these constrained conditions. Overall, the addition of the Sprint format to Monaco is set to reshape the weekend’s dynamics, demanding quicker decision‑making, heightened risk tolerance, and a deeper reliance on historical data. As Norris succinctly put it, the drivers will need to "risk a little bit more earlier" and adapt to a scenario that has never been seen on the streets of Monte Carlo before. Whether this will result in more dramatic on‑track action or simply add another layer of complexity for the teams remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix promises to be a landmark event in the evolution of Formula 1’s race weekend structure.
For those following the season, the excitement continues with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which kicks off a triple‑header of races from September 24‑26, featuring a Saturday race in Baku. Fans can stream the action live on Sky Sports F1 via NOW, with flexible subscription options that allow cancellation at any time.