Understanding the 2025 F1 Sprint Weekends

Explore the complete guide to the 2025 Formula 1 Sprint weekends. This article covers the schedule, the revised format, how qualifying works, the points system, and the venues hosting these special events.

Where and when will the 2025 F1 Sprint weekends take place?

For the 2025 season, six out of the 24 race weekends will again feature the Sprint format:

• March 21-23: Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai
• May 2-4: Miami Grand Prix, Miami
• July 25-27: Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps
• October 17-19: United States Grand Prix, Austin
• November 7-9: Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Sao Paulo
• November 28-30: Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail

Spa-Francorchamps, having previously hosted a Sprint in 2023, replaces Austria as the third Sprint event on the calendar. The other five venues remain the same as in the previous season.

What is Sprint?

Introduced in 2021, the Sprint format was added to select F1 events to enhance the on-track excitement, particularly at circuits suitable for overtaking, and to provide competitive action across all three days for fans. These weekends feature a revised schedule. The format includes a dedicated Sprint Qualifying session on Friday, followed by a 100km Sprint race on Saturday. The Sprint race awards valuable extra points towards the world championship.

What is the Sprint weekend format?

The Sprint weekend format for 2025 remains unchanged from 2024. The weekend starts on Friday with a single one-hour free practice session. Later on Friday, the Sprint Qualifying session takes place. Saturday features the 100km Sprint race in the morning, followed by the main Qualifying session in the afternoon, which determines the grid for Sunday`s Grand Prix.

How does Sprint Qualifying work?

Sprint Qualifying, also known as the Sprint Shootout, takes place on Friday to determine the starting grid for the Sprint race. It mirrors the knockout format of regular qualifying but with shorter session lengths:

• SQ1 lasts 12 minutes
• SQ2 lasts 10 minutes
• SQ3 is eight minutes long

While one fast lap per session is the primary goal, two timed laps are possible in SQ2 and SQ3 without pitting, and two runs are feasible in SQ1. A key difference from standard qualifying is the strict tyre usage rule: drivers must use only one specific set of tyres per session. A new set of medium tyres is required for SQ1 and SQ2, while soft tyres are mandatory for SQ3 (these do not need to be new).

What is the points system for the Sprint?

The points system for the 2025 Sprint races remains the same. Points are awarded to the top eight finishers, totaling 36 points per Sprint. The allocation is as follows:

• 1st place – 8 points
• 2nd place – 7 points
• 3rd place – 6 points
• 4th place – 5 points
• 5th place – 4 points
• 6th place – 3 points
• 7th place – 2 points
• 8th place – 1 point

These additional points can be very significant over the season, as demonstrated by Max Verstappen, who secured the 2023 world championship during the Qatar Sprint.

Are there pit stops in the Sprint?

Pit stops are uncommon in the short Sprint race. There is no mandatory tyre change required, unlike the main Grand Prix. Drivers typically only pit if they sustain damage, get a puncture, or if weather conditions change significantly (e.g., rain). Teams can choose any dry tyre compound (Hard, Medium, or Soft) they prefer for the race.

How often can teams change their cars between sessions?

Teams have a limited opportunity to adjust car setups during Sprint weekends. Cars enter `parc ferme` conditions (meaning minimal setup changes allowed) starting from Friday`s Sprint Qualifying. However, this restriction is lifted after Saturday`s Sprint race. This gives teams a brief window to make setup changes based on data from Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint race before the main Grand Prix Qualifying session begins, at which point the cars are locked into parc ferme settings again for the Sunday race.