Formula 1 introduced sprint races with the idea of providing audiences with more competitive action over the course of a three-day grand prix weekend.
F1 has numbers that it says prove that more people watch over a sprint weekend than a regular grand prix.
But, in the way of broadcasting statistics, it’s not entirely clear whether this is more actual people, or just the same people watching more of the on-track action. Rather like claiming 500,000 people attended the British Grand Prix, but that being a cumulative figure over the weekend.
Sprints have been through a number of formats, a reflection of the fact that it was an experiment that F1 did not get quite right initially.
The bigger audiences have led to F1 wanting to increase the number of sprints in the future.
There will be six again in 2026, but the feeling is the number could double to 12 – or half the calendar – in the near future.
Many drivers still do not want sprints to become the default format, but even arch-critic Max Verstappen has mellowed on them now.
