Is a Monaco F1 sprint a brilliant concept or simply outrageous? Our contributors share their perspectives.

F1 has been planning to expand the number of sprint races from the established six weekends per year. This format enables promoters to provide their paying audience with more relevant on-track excitement, making a sprint weekend an appealing option worth the investment. The data indicates that fans are more likely to tune in compared to unimportant practice sessions, even if opinions on the sprint format vary.

Has F1 overstepped by implementing the sprint format on Monaco's traditionally processional track? Our contributors share their opinions.

Two qualifying sessions disrupt the essence of the Monaco weekend - Ronald Vording

I must confess that I am still not the greatest advocate of the sprint format, although perhaps I am a slightly less ardent critic than I was a few years back. One tends to acclimate, I suppose, but if given a choice, I would still favor a classic race weekend – partly due to the workflow for written media at the venue.

Nonetheless, the commercial advantages of sprint weekends are evident. Fridays and Saturdays become more appealing for promoters, as ticket holders enjoy more substantial action with sessions that actually count. Of course, F1 management claims this is based on data illustrating fan enthusiasm, but it's widely understood that this narrative doesn’t encompass the full picture.

A sprint in Monaco may not seem commercially essential, but it’s crucial to remember that a sprint weekend involves more than just two races. Logically, this format also entails two qualifying sessions, and that is what tipped the scales for Monaco. In that regard, next year we will witness the best that Monaco has to offer twice.

You might say that sounds good, as qualifying in Monaco consistently keeps fans on the edge of their seats. However, it diminishes some of the allure of the Monaco weekend. Ultimately, the Monaco race weekend is centered around the gradual anticipation leading up to the pinnacle, one of the most cherished moments of the F1 season. It involves watching drivers inch closer to the barriers with each practice session before that one thrilling climax on Saturday afternoon.

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

This dynamic is also apparent when walking trackside – which is unparalleled in Monaco. While drivers intentionally leave some room during the initial practice session, a day later – toward the end of FP3 – you increasingly observe them testing the limits at locations such as Piscine and Tabac. It’s a flirtation with risk, a balancing act between building confidence and wanting too much, too quickly. And it’s a balancing act that can backfire – just ask Max Verstappen, who crashed during final practice in 2018 and had to forfeit qualifying with a potentially race-winning car.

Progressing through the Monaco weekend from session to session, culminating in that peak on Saturday, is an art for the drivers and a delight to witness. That dynamic is precisely what is shifting. Next year, the buildup toward regular qualifying will be fundamentally altered due to a sprint race in the morning, raising questions about how much risk drivers will be willing to accept, given that Saturday afternoon is crucial for determining the weekend’s outcome.

Two qualifying sessions in Monaco are sure to be spectacular, but this alters the fundamental nature of the Monaco weekend and the way drivers approach it – and I’m not convinced the purist in me needed that shift.

F1 could be bolder with its sprint race format and explore reverse grids - Oleg Karpov

Creating an F1 calendar is no simple endeavor, and while it’s fashionable in the current climate to criticize those in charge, they are actually doing a commendable job. Formula 1's schedule is a solid blend of historic venues - with the likes of Monza, Spa, and Monaco maintaining their significance - alongside unique new locations like Las Vegas and Miami, as the championship seeks to leverage its expansion in the United States.

Madrid was a positive development too, with the concept of a street circuit in one of the European capitals - and it’s unfortunate the track itself fell short of expectations. However, if the local organizers genuinely address the overtaking issues, it could still succeed in the future.

The Canadian Grand Prix will also host a sprint weekend in 2027

Overall, the 2027 calendar is well-executed, and it’s somewhat pointless to complain about the increased number of races compared to the recent past. However, as a global entertainment entity competing with other major sporting events, this expansion is inevitable. A further increase in the number of races is likely as well.

While I recognize that the intention must be to further boost the number of sprint races – potentially leading to every grand prix featuring one – questions linger about whether the current format is appropriate. To me, it seems that F1 could afford to be a bit more daring, providing something beyond a “mini-grand prix” slotted into a larger event’s schedule. Essentially, in its current form, it lacks much apart from a brief preview of what’s to come in the main event.

This format also ensures that those accumulating the most points have another opportunity to score even more, widening the gap to the rest of the competitors – so why not focus that event on the smaller teams and give them a chance? Yes, you guessed it, I’m advocating for reverse grids – and to me, it could at least merit consideration to flip the format, eliminating the additional qualifying entirely and allowing the grid to be determined by the championship standings – in reverse.

We’d see drivers from Cadillac and Williams striving to salvage a few more points in such races, which would undoubtedly introduce another layer of intrigue: how many positions can the championship leaders gain while starting from the back?

Artificial? Absolutely. But having purpose-built vehicles racing on circuits isn’t exactly natural either. This wouldn’t alter the grand prix format itself, with the biggest points still awarded for the main event, but would at least provide a fresh perspective, introducing entirely new intrigue.

F1 2027 calendar highlights the need for a sprint format overhaul

A while back, I penned a column for sister site Autosport advocating for a revamp of the sprint race format, and viewing the 10 venues chosen for a sprint in 2027 has only solidified that notion in my mind.

The essence is that if you plan to present 10 sprint races annually, it must have a distinct appearance from the main grand prix. Strategic diversity is the key driver of on-track action and overtaking, and a brief race without pit stops offers very little of that.

Why not implement a one-lap qualifying shootout during sprint weekends, conducted in championship order? This would mean that, as it stands, Kimi Antonelli would go out first when track conditions are less than ideal, while the Aston Martins and Cadillacs would go out last.

This isn’t as artificial as a complete reverse grid solution, which I strongly oppose for sporting reasons. However, it serves as a gentler method to introduce jeopardy while still allowing drivers and teams to make a difference. Moreover, this format would only apply to the sprint grid, preserving the integrity of the actual grand prix.

Could a one-lap qualifying format help make F1's sprints stand out?

Regarding Monaco, it feels like F1 is conceding defeat on the grand prix as a genuine motor race rather than a glorified procession. It’s evident that the Monaco Grand Prix will remain, and that the track will continue in its current form for the foreseeable future due to logistical limitations.

The unsuccessful two-stop experiment of 2025 didn’t pan out, so it seems that F1 leaders have relinquished their efforts to make the grand prix viable and are instead embracing what Monaco excels at, which is providing two qualifying shootouts instead of one.

This makes sense from a promotional standpoint, but if we’re merely accepting that some of F1’s races are pre-determined to be lackluster, then it suggests something is fundamentally amiss.

Is increasing the number of sprint races a wise choice? And how could F1 enhance the format? Share your thoughts below