Formula One announces six sprint races for 2025

LONDON: Formula One will again have six sprint race weekends next season with Belgium instead of Austria, the only change from the 2024 calendar.

Austria has held a sprint at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring for the past three years but will now revert to the traditional grand prix format.

The other five sprint weekends will be the second round in Shanghai on Mar 21-23, Miami on May 2-4, Austin on Oct 17-19, Sao Paulo and Qatar on Nov 7-9 and 28-30 respectively.

The Belgian Grand Prix, which was most recently held as a sprint in 2023, is on Jul 25-27.

The Brazilian Grand Prix at Sao Paulo's Interlagos has been a sprint since the format - a Saturday 100km race offering points for the top eight ahead of Sunday's regular race - was first introduced in 2021.

The schedule was changed this year so that qualifying for the sprint is on Friday with the race on Saturday morning before qualifying for the grand prix.

Three of the last six races of the season will be sprints.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali hailed the format as a great success.

"We are seeing the proof of this in our audience data, fan attendance on Fridays and from the promoters and partners," he said in a statement.

The 2025 season starts in Australia on Mar 14-16.