Monaco to host Formula One sprint race for the first time in 2027
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton (left) and team-mate Charles Leclerc come together into the first chicane during the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. Picture date: Sunday September 6, 2026.
Monaco will stage two races in 2027 as Formula One bosses delivered next year’s 24-round calendar, which they intend to start in Bahrain.
The schedule for next season is out later than planned due to the continued uncertainty in the Middle East because of the United States-Iran war.
However, F1 is hopeful of beginning the campaign in Bahrain on March 14, followed by a race in Saudi Arabia a week later.
Both races were pulled from this year’s schedule, although a ‘Bahrain Grand Prix’ will be staged in Malaysia in October.
As it stands, F1 is still pressing ahead with the current season ending in the Middle East, with rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi set for November 29 and December 6. Imola will step in to host the season finale if the events cannot go ahead.
As for next year, the number of sprint rounds will increase from six to 10, with Monaco hosting a shortened round for the first time.
The decision to add a second race in Monte Carlo – a venue where overtaking is notoriously impossible – is likely to raise eyebrows.
However, F1 chiefs hope a second qualifying session (required for a sprint event) will be the payback for the sport’s fans.
Qualifying in the principality is regarded as one of the challenges of the season, and there have been consistent calls to freshen up the long-standing event.
Elsewhere, rounds in Portimao and Istanbul will return to the schedule in June and October respectively, replacing the races in Barcelona and Zandvoort.
The British Grand Prix will assume its customary slot on the first weekend in July, avoiding a direct clash with the climax of Wimbledon and the men’s Open golf championship.
Silverstone will also host a sprint round for the second year in a row. As well as Monaco, the other shortened races will take place in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Canada, Monza, Brazil, Qatar and the concluding round of the season in Abu Dhabi on the weekend of December 11-12.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “The 2027 calendar brings together some of the most iconic circuits and vibrant cities in the world, creating an incredible stage for another unforgettable season of Formula One.
“We are thrilled to welcome Portugal and Turkey to the championship and to expand sprint racing to 10 events, giving our fans even more intensity, drama, and the wheel-to-wheel action that make our sport so special.
“Formula One continues to go from strength-to-strength, attracting new audiences around the globe. Week after week, the world’s greatest drivers will battle on some of the most challenging tracks in motorsport, supported by F1’s outstanding teams, world-class manufacturers, and global partners. Together, they create a spectacle unlike anything else in sport.”
PA
There was no indication Wednesday that F1 is any closer to calling off or moving the Qatar or Abu Dhabi races.
Among potential alternatives in Europe, a season-ending race at Italy’s Imola circuit is widely considered the likeliest option. Domenicali indicated in July that a decision could come in mid-September.
The races in the Middle East are especially valuable for F1 and its teams. They contribute large hosting fees to F1, while Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil giant Aramco and Qatar Airways are major sponsors for the series.
Next week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be the closest F1 has been to Iran since the outbreak of the war earlier this year. Azerbaijan shares a land border with Iran.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem defended the wait for confirmation on this year’s races in an interview this month with The Associated Press, arguing F1 was right not to “jump the gun” on deciding.
“Are we going to allow our people, our staff, the drivers or the teams to go at risk? No, of course not. We will not,” he added.
Speculation over possible changes to this year’s Qatar and Abu Dhabi races heightened this week as Formula 2, which is due to support F1 in both venues, added an extra race to its schedule next week in Azerbaijan. F2 said it would still race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi with a “usual weekend format.”
AP
March 14 – Bahrain (sprint)
March 21 – Saudi Arabia
April 4 – Australia (sprint)
April 11 – Japan (sprint)
April 18 – China
May 2 – Miami
May 23 – Canada (sprint)
June 6 – Monaco (sprint)
June 20 – Portugal
July 4 – Britain (sprint)
July 11 – Austria
July 25 – Belgium
August 1 – Hungary
September 5 – Italy (sprint)
September 12 – Madrid
September 26 – Azerbaijan
October 3 – Turkey
October 10 – Singapore
October 24 – Austin
October 31 – Mexico
November 7 – Brazil (sprint)
November 20 – Las Vegas
December 5 – Qatar (sprint)
December 12 – Abu Dhabi (sprint)
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