World champion Lando Norris has warned that the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix will present a considerably tougher test for drivers next year, largely because the race weekend will now incorporate the Sprint format. The 2027 Formula One calendar, unveiled on Wednesday, expands the number of Sprint events to ten, adding four more than the current season, and for the first time places the iconic street circuit of Monaco on the Sprint schedule.
Monaco’s narrow, winding streets have never been a venue where overtaking is easy. Historically, the Sprint format has been deployed on circuits that favour close racing and multiple passing opportunities, but the Principality’s tight layout is arguably the ultimate proving ground for a driver’s qualifying prowess.
The added pressure of a shortened weekend means that drivers will have to extract maximum performance from far fewer on‑track minutes. Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Natalie Pinkham alongside golfer Justin Rose at the BMW PGA Championship Pro‑Am at Wentworth on Wednesday, the McLaren driver broke down what the change means for the teams and the drivers. “Interesting,” Norris began. “I guess the main thing is that now you’ve got FP1 and the Sprint qualifying on Friday – that’s the challenge.
Obviously not a lot happens in a Sunday race or in the Sprint itself, but the real test is that you only get one practice session straight in, which has probably never happened before in Monaco.” Under the current format, drivers benefit from three one‑hour practice sessions spread across the weekend, allowing them to gradually build rhythm, fine‑tune the car’s setup, and adapt to the unforgiving walls that line the circuit. Mistakes are costly, and teams typically use the practice days to gather data on tyre behaviour, aerodynamic balance, and braking zones. With the new schedule, that entire preparation window will be compressed into a single 60‑minute session, forcing teams to make rapid decisions and drivers to adapt on the fly.
When asked about the implications of this tighter timetable, Norris explained, “That’s more about relying on data from this year. 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 take a bit more risk earlier. Normally you can see a difference between people who can get comfortable, try things and be at 99 per cent, and those who push to 103 or 104 per cent. In Monaco, when you go to that limit, it’s game over.” In essence, the reduced practice time means that drivers will need to be more aggressive earlier in the weekend, experimenting with set‑up changes and pushing the car to its limits sooner than they are accustomed to. This approach carries inherent risk: a single mistake on the tight Monaco circuit can result in a crash that damages the car beyond immediate repair, compromising both the Sprint and the main Grand Prix.
Yet Norris believes that this heightened pressure could also make the event more thrilling for spectators. “It’s more exciting for the fans and the people watching,” he added. Norris’s confidence is not unfounded. He secured a dominant victory at Monaco in 2025, starting from pole and converting it into a win during his championship‑winning season.
That experience gives him a unique perspective on how the circuit rewards precision and punishes any lapse in concentration. The addition of the Sprint will test not only his driving skill but also his team’s ability to deliver a competitive package with limited data. The Sprint format itself consists of a short, roughly 100‑kilometre race on Saturday, with the finishing order determining the starting grid for the main Grand Prix on Sunday.
Points are awarded to the top three finishers, adding an extra strategic layer to the weekend. For Monaco, where qualifying performance is already paramount, the Sprint could become a decisive factor in the championship battle.
From a technical standpoint, teams will have to rethink their approach to tyre allocation and cooling strategies. With only one practice session, they must decide how many sets of soft, medium, and hard tyres to bring, balancing the need for qualifying pace against the endurance required for the Sprint and the full Grand Prix distance. Additionally, the limited time on track will amplify the importance of simulation work and pre‑session data analysis, as engineers will rely heavily on virtual models to predict how the car will behave on the real circuit.
Fans can look forward to a weekend that is more compact, more intense, and potentially more unpredictable. The traditional rhythm of a three‑day practice schedule will be replaced by a high‑stakes sprint that could shuffle the order before the main race even begins. While some purists may lament the loss of a full preparation day at one of the sport’s most historic venues, others will welcome the added drama and the opportunity to see drivers like Norris push the limits of their skill under tighter constraints.
In summary, the introduction of the Sprint format to Monaco represents a significant shift in how teams and drivers will approach one of Formula 1’s most revered events. With only a single hour of practice, the margin for error narrows dramatically, demanding earlier risk‑taking, sharper data utilisation, and a willingness to adapt quickly. Lando Norris, having already triumphed on these streets, acknowledges the heightened challenge but also embraces the excitement it brings to the sport and its audience. The 2027 Monaco Grand Prix promises to be a landmark weekend that could reshape strategies and perhaps even influence future calendar decisions across the championship.
The F1 season continues to unfold with live coverage on Sky Sports F1, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicks off a triple‑header of races from September 24‑26, with the Baku race scheduled for a Saturday. Viewers can stream Sky Sports via NOW, with flexible contracts and the option to cancel at any time.