What is the format for F1 sprint races in 2026?
There are six sprint races in the 2026 season and here is all you need to know about how the format works.
The 2026 Formula 1 (F1) sprint races will follow a specific format. Beginning on Friday, sprint qualifying will take place after the sole practice session of the weekend, employing three sessions named SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3. Each session lasts for 12, 10, and 8 minutes, respectively, during which the six slowest cars will be eliminated, adjusting the grid for the sprint race. The top eight finishers of the sprint race will earn points, with eight points for first place, decreasing to one point for eighth.
The sprint race itself is a 100km event lasting approximately 30 minutes, serving as the first track action on Saturday. At the Zandvoort Grand Prix, the sprint will commence at 11:00 BST, with qualifying for the main race scheduled as the second session on Saturday, continuing the usual pattern. The grand prix finale will then take place on Sunday, starting at 14:00.
The Dutch Grand Prix marks the fifth of six sprint races in 2026, taking place from 21-23 August at Zandvoort. The sixth and final sprint of the season is set to occur at the Singapore Grand Prix in October. The sprint races will be hosted in China, Miami, Canada, Silverstone, Zandvoort, and Singapore.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
