2026 Rules Guide
Sprint Weekend
6 times a year, the normal weekend format disappears. Instead you get two qualifying sessions, a sprint race, and a Grand Prix — all in 3 days.
Normal Weekend
Thursday
Media Day
Press conferences, driver media duties
Friday
Free Practice 1
1 hour — teams test setups and gather data
Free Practice 2
1 hour — long run simulations, tyre compounds
Saturday
Free Practice 3
1 hour — final setup tweaks before qualifying
Qualifying (Q1, Q2, Q3)
Determines Sunday grid order
Sunday
Race
Full Grand Prix distance
Sprint Weekend
Thursday
Media Day
Press conferences, driver media duties
Friday
Free Practice 1
Only practice session of the weekend — just 1 hour
Sprint Qualifying (SQ1, SQ2, SQ3)
Sets grid for the Sprint Race on Saturday
Saturday
Sprint Race
~100km race, about 30 minutes, limited points available
Main Qualifying (Q1, Q2, Q3)
Sets grid for Sunday's Grand Prix
Sunday
Race
Full Grand Prix distance — main event
Points Available
PositionSprint PointsRace Points
1st825
2nd718
3rd615
4th512
5th410
6th38
7th26
8th14
Sprint points available to top 8 only. Race points available to top 10.
Common Questions
Does the Sprint result affect Sunday's grid?
No. Sprint Qualifying (Friday) sets the Sprint grid. Main Qualifying (Saturday, after the Sprint) sets Sunday's Grand Prix grid. The Sprint race finishing order has no effect whatsoever on the race start.
How many sprint weekends are there in 2026?
There are 6 sprint weekends in the 2026 calendar — spread across the season at various circuits.
Can drivers push flat out in the sprint?
Yes — with only 30 minutes and limited points at stake, drivers race hard from the start. There's no tyre conservation needed in the same way as a Grand Prix.
What about Parc Fermé on sprint weekends?
Parc Fermé begins after Friday's Qualifying and runs through Saturday's Sprint. Teams get a brief adjustment window before Sunday's Grand Prix.