Formula 1’s 2026 sprint format features six sprint weekends, with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone staging the fourth event. The key change is in sprint qualifying: six cars are now eliminated in each of the first two segments because the grid has expanded with Cadillac’s arrival.
A sprint weekend begins with one practice session before sprint qualifying on Friday. SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3 last 12, 10 and eight minutes, and the results set the starting order for the sprint rather than the main grand prix.
The sprint itself is a 100km race of about half an hour, with points awarded only to the top eight finishers. The winner receives eight points, decreasing by one point per position down to eighth, and those points are added to the drivers’ championship.
At Silverstone, the sprint is scheduled for 17 laps at 12:00 BST on Saturday, followed later by qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix. The remaining sprint rounds after Britain are listed for Zandvoort and Singapore, following earlier events in China, Miami and Canada.
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