The 2027 Formula 1 calendar has been unveiled, and once again the championship will stretch to a record‑tying 24 race weekends. While the sheer number of events is impressive, the schedule also introduces several noteworthy twists that will reshape the way the season unfolds. Among the most significant developments are the expanded Sprint programme, the surprising addition of Monaco as a Sprint venue, the continued presence of the Middle‑East rounds, and the revival of two fan‑favorite circuits. ### A Bigger Sprint Programme In July, Formula 1 confirmed that the number of Sprint weekends will rise to ten for the 2027 season, up from six in each of the previous four years.
This marks an increase of four Sprint events, bringing the total to a third of the calendar. The Sprint format, first trialled in 2021, consists of an extra qualifying session that determines the starting grid for a short 100‑km race held on Saturday.
The result of that race awards points to the top eight finishers, adding a new layer of strategy and excitement to the weekend. The decision to expand Sprints is backed by data: television audiences on Sprint weekends have been roughly 12 % higher than on traditional three‑practice‑session weekends.
The extra qualifying session and the fast‑paced race appear to capture viewers’ attention, prompting the sport’s leadership to cement the format as a permanent fixture. The ten venues selected for Sprint action are split evenly between tracks that have already hosted Sprints – Montreal, Silverstone, Monza, Interlagos and Qatar’s Lusail – and five newcomers: Sakhir (Bahrain), Albert Park (Melbourne), Suzuka (Japan), the iconic street circuit of Monaco, and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina. The current points allocation for the Sprint (25‑18‑15‑12‑10‑8‑6‑4 for the top eight) is expected to remain unchanged for 2027. ### Monaco Joins the Sprint Roster Perhaps the most headline‑grabbing change is the inclusion of Monaco as a Sprint venue.
Historically, the Principality has never featured a Sprint weekend; its main Grand Prix is a 78‑lap marathon that is famously difficult to overtake due to the narrow, twisty layout and close barriers. Overtaking opportunities are scarce, and races often become processional, especially in dry conditions. What makes Monaco special is the spectacle of qualifying, where drivers thread their cars through the tight confines at full speed. By adding a Sprint, Monaco will now host two grid‑setting sessions in a single weekend – the traditional qualifying on Saturday and the Sprint Qualifying on Friday.
This doubles the drama and gives fans two chances to witness the most jaw‑dropping moments of the weekend. Some analysts, such as Sky Sports’ Craig Slater, note that Sprints have traditionally been placed at circuits where overtaking is easier.
Monaco defies that logic, but the upside is that the race weekend will feature two high‑intensity qualifying sessions, which is precisely what the street circuit is renowned for. The reduced practice programme – only a single 90‑minute session on Friday instead of the usual three – could also inject unpredictability into the results, as drivers will have less time to fine‑tune their setups on a track that demands absolute precision. ### Season Bookends with Sprints For the first time, the 2027 season will both start and end with Sprint events. The opening round in Bahrain will run from 12‑14 March, with a Sprint Qualifying on Friday evening followed by the Sprint race on Saturday.
The finale in Abu Dhabi will take place from 10‑12 December, mirroring the same format. The season‑opening Sprint presents a unique challenge. Teams will have only one practice session to acclimate to the brand‑new 2027 cars before the crucial Sprint Qualifying.
However, the pre‑season test at the same Sakhir circuit (24‑27 February) will be extended to four days, giving crews extra track time to gather data and refine their setups. This extra testing should mitigate some of the uncertainty, but the compressed weekend will still test the adaptability of both drivers and engineers. Closing the championship with back‑to‑back Sprints in Qatar and Abu Dhabi raises the prospect that the World Drivers’ Championship could be decided on a Saturday, as happened in Qatar 2023 when Max Verstappen clinched his third title during the Sprint.
The heightened stakes of a Sprint‑deciding title add an extra layer of intrigue to the final races. ### Middle‑East Rounds Remain Central All four Middle‑East Grands Prix – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi – are retained on the 2027 schedule, framing the 24‑race campaign. The same arrangement was planned for the tail end of the 2026 season, with the two concluding rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi scheduled for early December.
Geopolitical tensions have already impacted the calendar: the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was cancelled for 2024, and the Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Malaysia for October 4 after being initially slated for April at Sakhir. FIA president Mohammed Ben‑Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali have indicated that a decision on the feasibility of the Middle‑East events will be made by mid‑September, but there is no hard deadline, allowing flexibility if the situation evolves. Should the Middle‑East races become untenable, Imola in Italy is earmarked as a contingency venue to close the season in December.
### Returning Classics and Calendar Tweaks The 2027 calendar does not introduce any brand‑new circuits, but it does see the return of two popular tracks that were used during the pandemic‑affected seasons of 2020 and 2021. Portugal’s Algarve International Circuit in Portimão will replace the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix, taking over its June slot. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Istanbul Park will re‑enter the schedule at the start of October, following a brief hiatus.
These changes are part of a rotation system that sees Barcelona alternate with the Belgian Grand Prix, with Barcelona slated to return in 2028. The Dutch Grand Prix, whose contract has ended, also makes way for the Portuguese and Turkish rounds. The season will stretch into mid‑December, finishing on the 12th – a week later than the previous year and the latest finish since 2020. A five‑week summer break is planned, after which the championship will resume in October, culminating in the final Sprint‑heavy weekend.
### What This Means for Fans and Teams The expanded Sprint format promises more on‑track action, additional points-scoring opportunities, and a greater chance for surprise results. For Monaco, the dual qualifying sessions will amplify the drama that the street circuit is famed for, while the reduced practice time could level the playing field, allowing underdogs to shine. Teams will need to adapt their preparation strategies, especially for the opening and closing Sprints, where limited track time forces rapid learning curves. The extended pre‑season testing in Bahrain should help, but the compressed weekends will still test operational efficiency.
Overall, the 2027 Formula 1 calendar blends tradition with innovation: it retains beloved venues, re‑introduces fan‑favoured circuits, and pushes the Sprint concept further than ever before. The inclusion of Monaco as a Sprint host, the season‑opening and season‑closing Sprint weekends, and the continued prominence of the Middle‑East races all point to a season that could be both unpredictable and exhilarating, keeping viewers worldwide glued to the action from March through December.