⚡ The Sprint Format

Race Rules · Last updated September 2026
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The shorter Saturday sprint race used at a handful of events each season.

What is a sprint

At selected events, the weekend includes an extra race called a sprint — a roughly 100 km dash held on Saturday. The sprint is a standalone race with its own grid and points; it no longer sets the grid for the grand prix.

Sprint weekend schedule

A sprint weekend runs: Friday — FP1 followed by Sprint Qualifying (a shortened knockout using mandatory tyre compounds); Saturday — the Sprint, then the normal qualifying session for the grand prix; Sunday — the grand prix.

Sprint points

The top eight finishers in a sprint score points: 8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1. These points count towards both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.

Sources

Last updated: September 2026

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