Formula One named three new Sprint hosts for next season. Montreal, Zandvoort, and Singapore join the six-event slate. They join Shanghai and Miami, with Silverstone returning after 2021.
The announcement arrived on Tuesday, confirming six Sprint weekends again. It refreshes the format without expanding the calendar’s Sprint count.
How Sprint weekends work
The Sprint remains a 100km dash on Saturday. Points go to the top eight finishers, from eight to one. Sunday still hosts the Grand Prix over full distance. Sprint running is separate, preserving distinct competitive sessions. These elements mirror the recent seasons’ agreed structure.
What these tracks add
Each newcomer brings a distinct racing fingerprint. Montreal’s 4.361 km layout features three DRS zones and savage braking into Turn 10. The “Wall of Champions” at Turn 14 punishes even tiny exit errors. Speed trap figures frequently exceed 330 km/h down the back straight. Zandvoort’s 4.259 km lap includes 18° banking at Turn 14. DRS now starts before that corner, boosting runs into Tarzan at Turn 1. Two DRS zones plus high-load corners test traction and nerve. Singapore switched to 4.928 km and 19 turns with the 2023 reprofile. A fourth DRS zone arrived in 2024 to aid passes. Marina Bay’s night heat and frequent Safety Cars elevate strategy and track position.
Who makes way
Several familiar Sprint venues return to standard weekends. Interlagos, Austin, Belgium, and Qatar revert, per the announcement. Silverstone reenters the Sprint list after hosting in 2021. Shanghai and Miami retain Sprint status for a third year. The rotation spreads formats across regions without excess repetition.
Competitive implications
Teams will recalibrate preparation rhythms for these weekends. Less practice heightens setup risk but offers more points windows. Saturday scoring can tilt standings before Sunday even starts. Aggressive tyre choices may pay, given the shorter Sprint distance. Execution, not experimentation, typically wins condensed weekends.
