Formula 1 has confirmed a record 10 sprint weekends for the 2027 World Championship, doubling down on the format after organisers reported surging ticket demand, and formally unveiled a 24-race calendar that welcomes Portugal and Turkey back to the sport for the first time since the pandemic era. Sprint events, which feature a shorter race on Saturday and an extra qualifying session on Friday, will be held for the first time in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi. The other sprints go to Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar. The previous maximum in a season had been six. ## A 24-Race World Tour The 2027 calendar spans five continents and re-introduces Portugal on 18-20 June and Turkey on 1-3 October. The season runs from Bahrain in mid-March to the Abu Dhabi finale on 10-12 December, taking in China, Miami, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Singapore, Austin, Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas, with Azerbaijan slotting between Spain and Turkey in late September. ## Middle East Races in Doubt The 2027 season is scheduled to start in Bahrain on 12-14 March, followed by Saudi Arabia a week later, but both events remain in doubt while the war in the Middle East continues. F1 is working on contingency plans for an alternative opening schedule if racing in the region looks impossible by the end of this year, and the same applies to the planned 2026 finale in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. On Sunday, a summit of nations involved in or affected by the conflict urged maximum restraint. Pre-season testing is scheduled for Bahrain on 24-27 February, and the British Grand Prix falls on 2-4 July. Bahrain is the default season-opening race, but Australia hosted the first grand prix in each of the past two years because of the timing of Ramadan. ## Monaco Sprint Raises Eyebrows The inclusion of a sprint in Monaco will inevitably draw scrutiny, given it is almost impossible to overtake around the historic street circuit and the sprint order would be largely locked in after the first lap. F1 is selling the weekend on its double qualifying sessions, with single-lap pace around the principality renowned as one of the season's highlights and the potential for two different grid orders. Sprints usually cost organisers more but remain in demand because they put competitive action on all three days. Silverstone believes this year's sprint was a large part of the reason for the British Grand Prix's highest ever attendance, with 64,000 more fans across four days than in the previous, non-sprint year. F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali welcomed the expansion. "We are thrilled to welcome Portugal and Turkey to the championship and to expand sprint racing to 10 events, giving our fans even more intensity, drama, and the wheel-to-wheel action that make our sport so special," he said. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem called the calendar a reflection of the sport's growth. "With 24 grands prix across five continents, the return of Portugal and Turkey, and the opportunity for an expanded sprint programme, the calendar combines tradition, innovation and fan engagement while maintaining the highest sporting standards," he said.