F1 confirms 2026 sprint events as four new venues join in

The calendar for 2026 F1 season’s sprint races has been revealed as it retains the six rounds, but some new venues will replace existing ones.

Unlike previous notions about potentially increasing the number of F1 sprint races, Liberty Media has stuck with six rounds per season in 2026, but has indicated of increase in 2027. While the sport speaks high about the sprint weekends being liked by fans, there has always been a mixed response from fans, which includes drivers and teams.

After the 24-race calendar was released back in June, they delayed in releasing the venues for 2026 F1 sprint races until Dutch GP’s social handle inadvertently leaked it during the Belgian GP weekend on Saturday evening. They deleted the post and it took nearly two months for the sport to finally confirm the leaked the post.

It features only two returning venues. The Chinese GP and Miami GP remains as sprint venues, which will take place on March 13-15 and May 1-3 weekends, respectively, in 2026. Naturally, there are four new venues replacing the 2025 ones.

First up will be Canadian GP on May 22-24, which replaces Belgian GP. It will be followed by British GP on July 3-5, – replacing US GP – followed by Dutch GP on August 21-23 – replacing Brazil GP – and Singapore GP on October 9-11 – replacing Qatar GP.

It is worth noting that Singapore is to be a day event under evening light, starting at 17:00 local time. This completes the F1 2026 set, which features three pre-season tests in Barcelona (private) and Bahrain (public), followed by 24 races in all between March and December.

“The F1 Sprint has continued to grow in positive impact and popularity since it was introduced in 2021,” said Stefano Domenicali. “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. We’re also proud to have welcomed Gatorade as an Official Partner of F1 Sprint, demonstrating the huge interest in the event from an iconic global brand.

“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.”

At the same time, FIA’s Mohammed Ben Sulayem, added: “The Sprint format has become an increasingly exciting part of the FIA Formula One World Championship, delivering high-intensity racing and added entertainment for fans around the world. As we look ahead to a landmark 2026 season featuring a new generation of cars and regulations, I’m pleased to see the Sprint evolving alongside our broader ambitions for the sport. The inclusion of new venues alongside returning favourites reflects the continued enthusiasm from promoters, teams and fans alike. We will continue to work closely with FOM, the teams, our officials, and the drivers to ensure the Sprint format enhances the championship.”

Additional info: “In 2024, TV viewership for Sprint weekends was on average 10% greater than non-Sprint weekends, and the sport continues to see an upward trend following the opening three Sprint weekends of the 2025 season. Lewis Hamilton’s maiden Ferrari win in the Shanghai Sprint saw an 84% live TV audience increase across Formula 1’s top 15 markets in comparison to last year’s event, and the Miami Grand Prix Sprint, won by Lando Norris, was watched by 26.6 million TV viewers, an 18% increase versus last year. This year’s Sprint event in Belgium, won by Max Verstappen, saw a significant rise in TV viewership in both heritage and growth markets, including in Germany (+40%), France (+42%), China (+182%), and Argentina (+9%), when compared to the Sprint event in Europe in 2024.”

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