F1 Sprint Weekends in 2026: Format, Points and Calendar
How an F1 sprint weekend works in 2026: sprint qualifying, the Saturday sprint, points for the top eight, and which six rounds host sprints this season.
Key takeaway
Six rounds of the 2026 season have a sprint: China, Miami, Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore. A sprint weekend has one practice session and sprint qualifying on Friday. The sprint itself is on Saturday, a short race of about 100 km, followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix. The top eight in the sprint score points, from 8 down to 1.
A sprint is a short Saturday race that adds points and more action to a race weekend. Here’s how they work in 2026.
The weekend schedule
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Friday | One practice session, then Sprint Qualifying |
| Saturday | The Sprint (about 100 km, no mandatory pit stop), then Grand Prix qualifying |
| Sunday | The Grand Prix |
With only one practice session before things count, teams have much less time to get their setup right. That’s why sprint weekends often produce surprises.
Points
The top eight in the sprint score: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Those points count toward both championships. See our full points guide.
The 2026 sprint calendar
| Round | Event | Sprint winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | China | George Russell |
| 4 | Miami | Lando Norris |
| 5 | Canada | George Russell |
| 9 | Great Britain | Kimi Antonelli |
| 12 | Netherlands | George Russell |
| 17 | Singapore (11 Oct) | To come |
Canada, Silverstone, Zandvoort and Singapore are new sprint venues for 2026.
Why sprints matter in the title fight
Russell has won three of the five sprints so far, which is part of the reason he’s still in touch in the championship. With a maximum of 8 points available, though, a sprint can only do so much against a 66-point deficit.
FAQ
How many sprint races are there in F1 2026?
Six: China, Miami, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore. Singapore (11 October) is the last sprint of the season.
How many points does an F1 sprint win get?
The sprint winner gets 8 points. Points go down one at a time to 1 point for eighth place.
Who has won F1 sprints in 2026?
George Russell won the sprints in China, Canada and the Netherlands. Lando Norris won in Miami, and Kimi Antonelli won at Silverstone.