THE British Grand Prix will host a sprint race next year as part of F1 bosses’ major shake up for 2026.
There will be a new six-round sprint schedule for the upcoming season.
GettySilverstone is one of the most loved races on the calendar[/caption]
Max Verstappen has previously expressed his dislike for the sprint format
Shanghai, Miami, Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore will also host the shortened-format race.
Silverstone held F1’s first ever sprint race in 2021 but has not been on the schedule since.
Next year’s British Grand Prix will take place across the first weekend of July.
F1 bigwigs are in talks with the FIA as well as teams and drivers about expanding the sprint schedule.
They hope to maybe even get up to a whopping 12 sprint races from 2027.
Figures show TV viewership was on average 10 per cent greater than on a non-sprint weekend – suggesting it’s a hit with fans.
F1 chief Stefano Domenicali has also been toying with the idea of reverse grids, which feature in F2 and F3.
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have previously been critical of the reverse grid idea, while Max Verstappen is not a fan of the sprint format.
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Domenicali said: “The F1 sprint has continued to grow in positive impact and popularity since it was introduced in 2021.
“With four competitive sessions rather than two during a conventional Grand Prix weekend, F1 sprint events offer more action each day for our fans, broadcast partners, and for the promoters – driving increased attendance and viewership.
“The 2026 season will usher in a new era of regulations, so having three new sprint venues (Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore) will only add to the drama on track.”
Back in 2019, seven-time world champion, Hamilton said about reverse grids: “The people who propose that don’t really know what they’re talking about.”
In the past, Verstappen has expressed his dislike for the sprint format, which increases the number of competitive sessions per weekend from two to four.
PASprint racing will return to Silverstone next year[/caption]
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