Hamilton questions Monaco’s 2027 F1 Sprint: “The race needs something different”

Summary

Lewis Hamilton questions Formula 1’s decision to hold a Sprint at Monaco in 2027.
He sees a second qualifying session as a benefit but wants a solution designed for the circuit.
Max Verstappen also doubts the Sprint will improve the racing, while Lando Norris believes reduced practice time could make the weekend more demanding.

Lewis Hamilton has questioned Formula 1’s decision to add a Sprint to the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion believes the street circuit needs a different approach to its racing problem and does not expect a shorter Saturday race to provide it.

Monaco is one of ten venues selected for a Sprint next year, up from six in 2026. The format will give drivers one practice session before Sprint Qualifying on Friday, followed by the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday. For Hamilton, the additional qualifying session is the clearest positive; what happens once the cars line up to race remains his concern.

“That makes no sense to me,” Hamilton said when asked about the Monaco Sprint ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, according to Motorsport Week.

He acknowledged that the format could produce another qualifying session, something he would enjoy at a circuit where a fast lap is one of the weekend’s main attractions. He then returned to the question he believes F1 still has to answer.

“Monaco needs something different,” Hamilton said. In his view, the venue should not automatically use the same racing format as every other circuit when its narrow layout creates such a distinct problem for overtaking.

Hamilton was not rejecting Sprints across Formula 1. He said their introduction had brought something new to the championship, but argued that Monaco calls for a further idea of its own. He praised the setting and the experience of driving the circuit while giving a much harsher assessment of the racing it produces.

“The race is as dull as it gets,” he said. For that reason, Hamilton concluded that “a Sprint race is not the answer.”

Monaco’s Sprint divides F1 drivers

Hamilton’s distinction matters. A Sprint weekend can make Friday qualifying more consequential and reduce the time teams have to prepare. It does not change the width of the circuit or automatically create more places to pass in either Saturday’s race or Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen has also questioned what the Monaco Sprint will deliver. Speaking to GRANDE PRÊMIO in Baku, the Red Bull driver said he expects it to reproduce the main race’s familiar pattern: an important start followed by limited overtaking. Verstappen said his focus remains on winning Grands Prix rather than Sprints.

Lando Norris sees a different potential benefit. With only one practice session before Sprint Qualifying, he believes drivers will have to approach the barriers and find the limit sooner. That could create larger differences between them over one lap, even if passing during the races remains difficult.

The disagreement concerns what the format is supposed to improve. Norris is looking at the challenge of preparing for competitive sessions with less practice. Hamilton and Verstappen are asking whether the additional race will be any more entertaining once track position becomes decisive.

The 2027 Monaco Sprint plan emerged before F1’s official calendar announcement. The weekend is scheduled for 4–6 June, with the Sprint on Saturday, 5 June, and the Grand Prix on Sunday, 6 June. It will be Monaco’s first F1 Sprint.

F1 today: FAQ

What time does F1 practice start at Sepang?

Friday practice begins on 2 October. FP1 starts at 05:30 BST in the UK, 10:00 IST in India and 14:30 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne. In New York and Toronto, it starts at 00:30 EDT; in Los Angeles and Vancouver, at 21:30 PDT on Thursday. FP2 begins three and a half hours later.

Is Esteban Ocon leaving Haas and retiring from F1?

Ocon will leave Haas at the end of 2026, but says he intends to remain in Formula 1. He has not announced retirement and would consider a reserve role while seeking another race seat.

What happened to Oscar Piastri at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Piastri was running near the front in Baku before a mistake during a Safety Car restart dropped him out of podium contention. He finished 14th, adding to a difficult 2026 season for the McLaren driver.