F1 Confirms 24-Race 2027 Calendar with 10 Sprints — SkimNews
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- Formula 1 confirmed its 2027 calendar will run to a record-equalling 24 race weekends, with the number of Sprint events rising from 6 to 10 — four more than the past four seasons.
- Monaco will host its first-ever Sprint in 2027, despite its narrow, twisty circuit being known for limited overtaking; F1 highlighted the addition means two qualifying sessions at the Principality that weekend.
- The 2027 season will both start (Bahrain, March 12-14) and finish (Abu Dhabi, December 10-12) with a Sprint event, raising the possibility the world title could be decided in a Saturday race after Qatar's 2023 precedent.
- Pre-season testing at Sakhir has been extended to four days (February 24-27) — one more than usual — to help teams familiarise themselves with the new 2027 cars before the opening Sprint.
- Portugal's Portimao and Turkey return to the calendar for the first time since their 2020-21 Covid-era appearances, replacing the Barcelona-Catalunya round (entering a rotation) and the Dutch Grand Prix (whose deal has ended).
- Sprint weekends generate 12% higher global TV audiences than non-Sprint weekends according to F1, and the current top-eight points-paying format is expected to remain unchanged.
- Middle Eastern rounds remain scheduled for 2027, with Imola understood as the contingency venue to close the current 2026 season in December should Qatar or Abu Dhabi be unable to proceed amid ongoing regional conflict.
Why it matters: The jump from 6 to 10 Sprints gives F1 more content inventory at exactly the venues driving its highest TV audiences (12% lift), but doubling the qualifying spectacle at Monaco — where the race itself is often processional — trades sporting clarity for broadcast value. Portugal and Turkey's return and the Barcelona rotation show the calendar continuing to flex toward paying promoters rather than historic venues.
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