F1 Schedule: Imola Removed as Three New Sprint Cities Join 2026 Calendar
The f1 schedule for 2026 removes Imola from the calendar while expanding sprint venues and preserving a 24-race season. The changes take effect as the championship prepares to start on Sunday, March 8, 2026 (ET) at Albert Park in Australia. Officials link the moves to the growth of the Sprint format and a push to rotate new host cities into a record-length season.
How the F1 Schedule Has Shifted
The headline change is Imola’s exit from the 2026 lineup; Monza remains on the calendar and will host the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, September 6, 2026 (ET), while Imola is no longer listed. The season still totals 24 rounds, tying the record set in prior years, and begins at Albert Park with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8, 2026 (ET).
Geography and venues have also been reshuffled: the United States will host three rounds at Miami International Autodrome, Circuit of the Americas, and the Las Vegas Street Circuit. Spain will stage two events, with the Spanish Grand Prix relocated to the new Madring street circuit in Madrid on Sunday, September 13, 2026 (ET) and the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, June 14, 2026 (ET).
The Sprint calendar sees notable expansion and rotation. The first sprint weekend is set for Shanghai the week after the Australian opener. Six weekends will carry the Sprint format, now including Shanghai, Miami in May, Silverstone in July, Montreal (May 22-24, 2026 ET), Zandvoort (August 21-23, 2026 ET), and Singapore (October 9-11, 2026 ET). The adjustments mean Qatar, Stavelot in Belgium, and Sao Paulo in Brazil are not on this year’s sprint roster.
Immediate Reactions
F1 leadership framed the moves as growth for the Sprint format. “The F1 Sprint has continued to grow in positive impact and popularity since it was introduced in 2021. With four competitive sessions rather than two during a conventional Grand Prix weekend, F1 Sprint events offer more action each day for our fans, broadcast partners, and for the promoters – driving increased attendance and viewership, ” said Stefano Domenicali, F1 president and CEO.
On the broader engagement with promoters, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA president, added: “The inclusion of new venues alongside returning favourites reflects the continued enthusiasm from promoters, teams and fans alike. We will continue to work closely with FOM, the teams, our officials, and the drivers to ensure the Sprint format enhances the championship. “
Separately, a leading driver expressed openness to more sprint races while warning about workload and weekend structure. He said the sprint format “still needs to be fine-tuned and improved” to avoid revealing too much of Sunday’s outcome and urged adjustments to media and marketing demands to protect drivers’ preparation time.
Quick Context and What’s Next
Imola had returned to the calendar in 2020 amid unique scheduling needs and had run regularly since, after not hosting a race between 2006 and 2020; historically the circuit had hosted events annually from 1980 until 2006. The Sprint format itself was introduced in 2021 and has been expanded and rotated as promoters seek fresh city hosts.
Teams, promoters and officials now shift focus to the immediate operational challenge: staging the opener in Australia on March 8, 2026 (ET) and delivering the first sprint in Shanghai the following week. Attention will center on how the revised f1 schedule affects competitive dynamics, driver workload and weekend formats as the championship rolls into a new regulatory era and a fuller slate of sprint events.
