F1 sprint weekends explained: 2026 format
What F1 sprint weekends are, how the format works as of the 2026 season, and how sprint points are awarded to the top eight finishers.
An F1 sprint weekend adds a separate Sprint race to the usual Grand Prix schedule. As of the 2026 season, Formula 1 runs six sprint weekends, with points awarded in the Sprint to the top eight finishers.
What is a sprint weekend?
A sprint weekend is a shorter-format Formula 1 event built around two competitive sessions that matter for the final results: the Sprint and the Grand Prix. The Sprint is a separate race from the Grand Prix, not a replacement for it, and it has its own grid and its own points payout.
That makes a sprint weekend different from a standard Grand Prix weekend. Drivers still contest the main Grand Prix on Sunday, but they also race in the Sprint earlier in the weekend, which adds another result and another chance to score.
How the 2026 format works
As of the 2026 season, there are six sprint weekends on the Formula 1 calendar. Season to season, the number of sprint events and the timetable can change, so that figure should always be read as applying to 2026.
The order for a 2026 sprint weekend is separate Sprint Qualifying to set the Sprint grid, then the Sprint itself, then Grand Prix Qualifying, and finally the Grand Prix. In other words, the session that decides the Sprint starting order is separate from the qualifying session that sets the grid for the main race.
Sprint points explained
As of the 2026 season, Sprint points go to the top eight finishers. The scale is 8 points for first place, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 down to eighth.
Those Sprint points count in the championships, but they are distinct from the points awarded for the Grand Prix. A driver can therefore score in the Sprint, the Grand Prix, or both across the same weekend, which is why sprint events can have a noticeable effect on the drivers' championship and constructors' championship.