The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will feature a Formula 1 Sprint race for the first time in 2027, adding an extra competitive session to the season finale at Yas Marina Circuit.
The race is scheduled for December 9 to 12, 2027, with Abu Dhabi set to host the final round of the Formula 1 championship. The Sprint will give drivers another opportunity to compete for championship points during the race weekend.
Abu Dhabi Joins F1 Sprint Calendar
Yas Marina Circuit will be among 10 venues hosting an F1 Sprint during the 2027 season. The number of Sprint events will increase from six in 2026 to 10 in 2027 as Formula 1 expands the shorter race format.
The Abu Dhabi Sprint will cover 100 kilometres and will not include a mandatory pit stop. The winner will receive eight championship points, with points also awarded to other drivers based on their finishing positions.
The Sprint format was introduced in Formula 1 in 2021 and has since become part of selected race weekends.
Changes to Abu Dhabi Race Weekend
The addition of the Sprint will bring changes to the traditional weekend schedule at Yas Marina Circuit.
Friday will feature Sprint qualifying instead of the second free practice session. The Sprint will then take place on Saturday, replacing the third free practice session.
Qualifying for Sunday’s main Grand Prix will follow later on Saturday and will determine the starting order for the season-ending race.
The revised format means fans will have two competitive races to follow across the weekend, with the Sprint on Saturday followed by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
2027 Calendar Expands Sprint Events
The Abu Dhabi Sprint is part of a wider expansion of the format across the 2027 Formula 1 calendar.
The season will feature 24 Grands Prix across 22 countries, alongside 10 Sprint events. Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi will host Sprint races for the first time, while several other circuits will return to the Sprint schedule.
For Abu Dhabi, the addition is particularly significant because the Sprint will be held during the final weekend of the championship. Yas Marina Circuit will once again provide the setting for the season finale in December.
2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Comes First
Before the new Sprint format arrives in Abu Dhabi, attention will remain on this year’s season finale.
The 2026 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled for December 3 to 6 at Yas Marina Circuit. It will be the 18th edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The event has been a fixture on the Formula 1 calendar since its debut in 2009 and has become one of the championship’s prominent season-ending races.
The 2025 edition attracted a record 339,000 spectators, underlining the continued interest in the Abu Dhabi race weekend.
From 2027, the event will take on an expanded competitive format with the addition of the Sprint. The change will give fans another opportunity to watch Formula 1 action at Yas Marina while maintaining Abu Dhabi’s role as the final stop of the championship.
The first Abu Dhabi F1 Sprint will therefore add a new element to the season finale, combining Saturday Sprint competition with Sunday’s main Grand Prix.