Formula 1 could increase Sprint races from six to as many as 10 in 2027, but the format still faces important sporting and technical concerns.

Formula 1 appears ready to expand its Sprint race program in 2027. The current calendar includes six Sprint weekends, but that number could increase to nine or even 10 events, meaning more than one-third of the championship would use the shorter race format. The proposal is driven by Liberty Media’s goal of increasing fan engagement throughout the entire race weekend.

The strategy is clear. Formula 1 wants to create more meaningful on-track sessions and reduce periods that casual fans may see as less important, even though those sessions remain crucial for teams and drivers.

Formula 1 could expand the Sprint race calendar significantly from the 2027 season onward.

A larger Sprint calendar would also mean that teams have only one practice session before Sprint qualifying and the Sprint race itself. That leaves far less time to prepare the cars and understand changing track conditions.

The biggest problem with the current Sprint format

The main criticism is that Sprint races still lack real sporting importance. They generate attention for a few hours, but they are quickly overshadowed by Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Sprint races often lose their impact because qualifying and the Grand Prix remain the main events of the weekend.

Even drivers rarely celebrate Sprint victories with the same emotion as a traditional race win. That weakens the perception of the format among fans and reduces its long-term value. Many observers argue that Sprint races feel like additional content rather than a competition with genuine significance.

Another concern is the growing workload. Expanding to 10 Sprint weekends would effectively create 34 race events across a 24-round season, increasing the physical and mental demands on drivers and team personnel.

A different approach could improve the format

One proposal is to replace the third practice session with a Sprint race, allowing qualifying to take place earlier on Saturday and making the Sprint the main event of the day.

Replacing the third practice session with a Sprint race could give the format greater sporting relevance.

That approach could give the Sprint a stronger identity while preserving Friday for meaningful practice work. It would also create a Saturday schedule with a clear competitive narrative rather than two major sessions competing for attention.

The debate is not simply about adding more races. The key question is whether more Sprint races automatically create better Formula 1. The answer may depend less on quantity and more on giving the format a genuine sporting purpose.

McLaren has admitted Ferrari beat the team to Formula 1’s rotating rear wing concept, forcing Woking to develop its own version after the breakthrough became clear.

McLaren has admitted that Ferrari gained a crucial head start in one of Formula 1’s most interesting technical innovations of 2026. The team was disappointed not to identify the rotating rear wing concept before Ferrari, which introduced the idea during pre-season testing in Bahrain.

The device rotates 180 degrees between cornering and straight-line modes, helping reduce drag on the straights while restoring downforce for corners.

Ferrari introduced the rotating rear wing concept during the 2026 Bahrain pre-season tests.

According to McLaren technical director Neil Houldey, the team immediately recognized the potential of the concept once Ferrari revealed it.

Houldey admitted that Woking realized it had left an important performance opportunity on the table. However, the rear wing project was not the team’s top development priority at the time.

McLaren encountered problems during testing

McLaren began working on its own version of the rotating rear wing while continuing to develop other aerodynamic upgrades.

McLaren’s first on-track test of the new rear wing concept revealed reliability issues.

The first significant track test was scheduled during Austrian Grand Prix practice, but the evaluation had to be abandoned after the team discovered a problem in the garage.

The wing was returned to the factory, where engineers continued refining the concept before testing it again successfully in Hungary.

Houldey said the team now believes it has found a reliable solution and understands the aerodynamic risks involved.

The concept is not easy to perfect

Red Bull also developed its own version of the rotating rear wing, but the system required revisions after incidents involving Max Verstappen in Austria and Silverstone.

McLaren is refining the concept before introducing it permanently later in the 2026 season.

Those problems highlighted one of the key challenges of the concept. If the wing takes too long to return to its high-downforce position, the car can suffer a delay in aerodynamic load during corner entry.

McLaren expects its version of the rotating rear wing to be introduced after the summer break as part of a new generation of aerodynamic components.

The team believes the system can improve overall aerodynamic efficiency, helping increase straight-line performance without sacrificing cornering stability.

Lucid has postponed the launch of its affordable electric vehicles to the second half of 2027 as the company cuts costs and restructures operations.

Lucid has delayed the launch of its affordable electric vehicles until the second half of 2027. The company had originally planned to introduce the new models much sooner, but it is now prioritizing a broad restructuring effort and tighter financial controls.

The announcement came as Lucid revealed a major operational reset designed to reduce spending and improve efficiency across the business.

Lucid is delaying its affordable EV program while focusing on cost reductions and operational restructuring.

The automaker aims to save $1.4 billion in cash during 2026. Most of those savings will come from lower production, reduced inventory levels and significant cuts to capital spending and operating expenses.

Lucid has also reduced its workforce as part of the restructuring plan.

Affordable EVs remain a key part of the strategy

Despite the delay, Lucid still views its upcoming mid-size affordable EV platform as a crucial part of its long-term growth strategy.

The upcoming mid-size platform is expected to become Lucid’s key affordable electric vehicle program.

CEO Silvio Napoli said the company does not want to repeat mistakes made during the launches of the Air sedan and Gravity SUV. He emphasized that the new affordable models will only enter production when quality, suppliers and manufacturing are fully aligned.

Lucid’s factory in Saudi Arabia is expected to be ready for production by the end of this year, but the company said the supply chain still requires additional work before the new platform can be launched.

Production will fall before it improves

Lucid expects production to decline during the remainder of 2026, although deliveries are projected to improve compared with the first half of the year.

Lucid expects lower production in 2026 as it works to improve efficiency and prepare for future models.

The company is also pursuing future opportunities in robotaxis through partnerships with Uber and Nuro, but those programs are not expected to generate meaningful revenue in the near term.

Lucid reported $405 million in quarterly revenue, while losses increased compared with the same period last year. The company said recently secured financing, combined with its restructuring efforts, should provide sufficient liquidity well into 2027.

The Lucid affordable EV 2027 program remains central to the brand’s future plans, but the company has made it clear that financial discipline and product quality now take priority over launching the vehicle ahead of schedule.