F1 sprint races: How do they work and what are the changes for 2023?

Stuart Hodge
Saturday 29 April 2023 07:30 - Updated: 07:34

The 2023 F1 season will see six Sprint Race weekends and an altered format from previous years. Here is all you need to know ahead of the first one in Azerbaijan this weekend...

F1 first introduced the Sprint format at the 2021 British Grand Prix. In that season and the year that followed, there were three weekends which featured a shorter race on Saturdays.

Despite being greeted by mixed reaction, teams agreed to double this number for the current season, with a radical change to the format made ahead of the first running of the year in Azerbaijan this weekend (Saturday April 29).

What has changed with F1 Sprint Races for 2023

The original Sprint schedule saw first practice take place as normal on Friday with a regular three-part qualifying session replacing FP2 in the early evening.

A second practice session then took place on Saturday morning before the Sprint race in the afternoon.

Originally, Friday qualifying set the grid for the Sprint, with the result of this shorter race then deciding the order for Sunday’s grand prix.

Following a vote of the F1 Commission ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, however, this has all changed.

Friday qualifying will now set the grid for the grand prix on Sunday, with Saturday becoming its own confined event - although points gained will still count towards the overall standings.

In the place of the much-maligned early Saturday practice session, is another qualifying session. This will be used to decide the starting order for the Sprint, with that race now no longer affecting the starting order for Sunday.

When are the F1 sprint races in 2023?

Six F1 sprint races were scheduled for this season. They are:

Saturday April 29: Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Baku City Circuit) - 17:30

Saturday July 1: Austrian Grand Prix (Red Bull Ring) - 16:30

Saturday July 29: Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps) - 16:30

Saturday October 7: Qatar Grand Prix (Lusail International Circuit) - 20:30

Saturday October 21: United States Grand Prix (Circuit of the Americas) - 17:00

Saturday November 4: São Paulo Grand Prix (AutÓdromo José Carlos Pace) - 15:30

NB: All times local

What points are on offer in F1 Sprint races?

In 2021 F1 drivers received three points for winning the Sprint, two for finishing second and one for coming third.

As this offered little to no incentive to put cars on the line for drivers in the midfield, this was altered in 2022 to the rewards system which remains in place this year.

Keen to strike a balance that keeps Sunday’s grand prix as the main focus, a points system was agreed that sees the victor score eight, the second-place finisher seven, all the way down to eighth place, where one point is awarded.

There is no point handed out for setting the fastest lap in these shorter races.

How long is an F1 Sprint Race?

The F1 Sprint is a 100km race. This is significantly shorter than the 305km distance of a regular grand prix.

There are no mandatory pit stops required, meaning drivers will often select a tyre which can comfortably go the distance without too much managing.