The 2025 Formula 1 season is up and running but there is no rest for the weary, from the drivers, to the teams, and even the fans who stayed up late — or woke up early — to take in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The grid heads to Shanghai for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, as a double-header kicks off the F1 season. Beyond the quick turnaround, this weekend is an F1 Sprint race weekend, meaning the lap times count quicker than usual.
Here is a refresher on the F1 Sprint race format.
What is an F1 Sprint race?
Introduced for the 2021 F1 season to offer more racing for fans, F1 Sprint races are shorter events, just 100 kilometers, that run early in the weekend in addition to the traditional Grand Prix to close out the week. For example, at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, the F1 Sprint race will be just 19 laps. There are no mandatory tire changes or pit stops, and points are awarded on a sliding scale similar to a Grand Prix, but with fewer points available and fewer drivers finishing in the points.
What is the F1 Sprint race weekend schedule?
The structure of F1 Sprint race weekends has changed over the years, and a new format introduced for 2023 is still in place for this season.
When F1 first introduced the F1 Sprint format in 2021, the format included a practice session on Friday followed by F1 Sprint Qualifying. Then on Saturday, there would be a second practice session, followed by the F1 Sprint race itself. The results of the F1 Sprint race would set the grid for the Grand Prix.
Changes introduced for 2023 have altered this format.
Now during an F1 Sprint race weekend, such as this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, there is one single practice session on Friday, followed by qualifying for the F1 Sprint race.
Then on Saturday the first F1 event is the F1 Sprint race, followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix later in the day.
Sunday brings the main event, the Grand Prix itself.
How does qualifying work for F1 Sprint races?
Qualifying for an F1 Sprint Race is similar to Grand Prix qualifying. There are three segments — termed SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3 — and five drivers are eliminated at the end of both SQ1 and SQ2. That leaves the final ten in SQ3 vying for pole position.
However, there are two noticeable changes.
First is the length of each segment. During Grand Prix qualifying Q1 lasts 18 minutes, Q2 lasts 15 minutes, and Q3 lasts 12 minutes.
For F1 Sprint qualifying, SQ1 lasts 12 minutes, SQ2 lasts 10 minutes, and SQ3 lasts just 8 minutes. You better get that solid lap in on your first run, because depending on traffic and the size of the track, you might not get another chance.
The other major change? Tire allocation rules. Drivers are required to use the designated medium compound during both SQ1 and SQ2. Only those who advance to SQ3 can bolt on the softs.
Can drivers score Championship points in an F1 Sprint race?
Points are on offer during an F1 Sprint race, with the points counting in both the Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ Championship.
Similar to a Grand Prix, points are awarded in descending fashion, only a smaller amount of points are available, and to just the top eight finishers, not the top ten finishers as in a Grand Prix.
P1 takes home eight points, with P2 taking home seven, P3 taking home six, P4 scoring five points, P5 scoring four points, P6 scoring three points, P7 taking home two points, and P8 taking home the final point.
What are the parc fermé rules during F1 Sprint weekends?
This is a change that F1 made last season and is carrying over to 2025.
Under the previous F1 Sprint format, after Friday’s qualifying session for the Sprint, there was a second practice session on Saturday, ahead of the F1 Sprint, which set the grid for the Grand Prix.
However, parc fermé rules were in place following that F1 Sprint qualifying session on Friday, meaning teams could not make setup changes to the car. That rendered the second practice session largely meaningless, and teams often barely utilized the hour and instead turned their focus to the F1 Sprint itself.
Now, the timing of parc fermé rules is different over F1 Sprint weekends. Cars are under parc fermé rules from the start of F1 Sprint qualifying through the F1 Sprint race itself, and parc fermé conditions are lifted after the F1 Sprint race. That means teams can implement any changes to the cars based on data acquired during the F1 Sprint qualifying, and the F1 Sprint itself, for qualifying for the Grand Prix, and the main event on Sunday.
In essence, every session during an F1 Sprint race weekend is critical. There is no “slow buildup” to the Grand Prix on Sunday, as every minute in the car counts.
How many F1 Sprint races are there in 2025?
The Chinese Grand Prix is the first of six F1 Sprint race weekends on the 2025 calendar. The other five races are: The Miami Grand Prix, the Belgian Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix, the São Paulo Grand Prix, and the Qatar Grand Prix.
