Monaco was considered a prime example of a circuit where a sprint race actually makes no sense – so why is a short race taking place in Monte Carlo in 2027 anyway?
Perhaps the biggest surprise on the 2027 Formula 1 calendar was the fact that there will be a sprint race in Monaco next year. Although Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali had already announced his intention to increase the number of sprint races.
However, the fact that one of the ten sprints in 2027 will take place in Monaco of all places is, at first glance, a cause for surprise. After all, in the past there had been a general consensus that sprint races on a circuit such as the narrow street circuit in the Principality made little sense.
In 2022, for example, the then Formula 1 sporting director Ross Brawn said of the sprint races – which were still relatively new to the top flight at the time –: “We have to choose the right circuits, and to be honest, we won’t be holding a sprint race in Monaco.”
Lewis Hamilton was even more forthright when he explained later that same year: “I think we need to choose this very carefully. Let’s look at the season, see where the most overtaking takes place, and that’s where we’ll hold the sprint races.”
“For example, it would be completely ridiculous to hold a sprint race in Monaco. I like the fact that we’re trying something new. But for Monaco, we need a different solution,” said the record-holding Formula 1 world champion at the time.
Additional qualifying as another highlight
So why has the premier class now decided to hold a sprint race in Monaco after all, even though the overtaking situation there has not improved in recent years? The answer is probably not to be found on Saturday during the sprint itself, but as early as Friday.
This is because, with the sprint, there will be another qualifying session for the short race in Monaco on Friday in 2027. This means that, in addition to the main qualifying session on Saturday, fans can be offered another ‘highlight’ a day earlier.
Precisely because of the difficult overtaking conditions in the Principality, qualifying in Monaco is regarded as the most exciting of the whole year. In 2027, there will now be two of these, and to achieve this, organisers are willing to accept what is likely to be a rather dull sprint race on Saturday.
All in all, this still offers fans greater value for money than three free practice sessions on Friday and Saturday. Moreover, this is not the first time that Formula 1 has attempted to make the Monaco weekend more exciting.
In 2025, they experimented with two mandatory pit stops during the race. However, the plan backfired, which is why it was scrapped again for 2026. The sprint in 2027 is now another attempt to enhance the traditional Monaco Grand Prix.
