Though a brilliant track to drive around, the Spa circuit sometimes struggles to provide good racing with the modern formula.
Can it deliver in 2025?
One area F1 will be hoping to continue the change is the variety of winners. Until the second-to-last sprint of 2024, Verstappen was dominant, winning the first four in a row before Norris triumphed in Brazil and then handed the Qatar race to Piastri.
Verstappen has more sprint race wins than any other driver, with his tally standing at 11. His closest challengers are Piastri and Valtteri Bottas, who both have two.
2024 was F1’s most competitive season ever, in that it was the first time in its history that four teams have won three or more races. 2025 is likely to be closer still, putting huge importance on scoring points whenever possible – particularly in sprint races.
Whereas as some sprints in the past have been slightly processional, drivers this year will be far more likely to take risks in a bid to boost their respective championship chances.
2025 F1 sprint race point system
The points system is less than in grand prix races, and there is no point awarded for fastest lap.
The top eight finishes are awarded world championship points — the winner gets eight, reducing place-by-place to one point for the eighth-placed driver.
2025 F1 sprint race format
The sprint race format was introduced with the aim of adding more excitement to a grand prix weekend and, at least in terms of anticipation building through the event, it does do that.
On a conventional GP weekend two Friday practice sessions are followed by a third preceding qualifying on Saturday – with no racing happening till Sunday.
However on a sprint weekend the competitive action revs up on a Friday afternoon with sprint qualifying after just a single practice session, giving drivers little time to prepare or get their car set up.
The sprint race then happens on Saturday prior to grand prix qualifying for the main race.
See when and where all the 2025 F1 sprint races are below:
Next F1 sprint race of 2025: Chinese Grand Prix
🇨🇳 Shanghai
| Date — 21-23 March, 2025 Sprint race laps — 19 (TBC) Lap record — Michael Schumacher, 1min 32.238sec (2004) |
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2025 Chinese GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (BST) |
| FP1 | Friday 21 March | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 21 March | 5.30pm |
| Sprint race | Friday 22 March | 2pm |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 22 March | TBC |
| Chinese Grand Prix | Sunday 23 March | TBC |
Second F1 sprint race of 2025: Miami Grand Prix
🇺🇸 Miami International Autodrome
| Date — 2-4 May, 2025 Sprint race laps — 19 (TBC) Lap record — Max Verstappen, 1min 29.708sec (2023) |
 |
2025 Miami GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (BST) |
| FP1 | Friday 2 May | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 2 May | TBC |
| Sprint race | Saturday 3 May | TBC |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 3 May | TBC |
| Miami Grand Prix | Sunday 4 May | TBC |
Third F1 sprint race of 2025: Belgian Grand Prix
🇧🇪 Spa-Francorchamps
| Date — 25-27 July, 2025 Sprint race laps — 11 (TBC) Lap record — Sergio Perez, 1min 44.701sec (2024) |
 |
2025 Belgian GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (BST) |
| FP1 | Friday 25 July | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 25 July | TBC |
| Sprint race | Saturday 26 July | TBC |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 26 July | TBC |
| Belgian Grand Prix | Sunday 27 July | TBC |
Fourth F1 sprint race of 2025: United States Grand Prix
🇺🇸 Circuit of the Americas (Austin)
| Date — 19-21 October, 2025 Sprint race laps — 19 (TBC) Lap record — Charles Leclerc, 1min 36.169sec (2019) |
 |
2025 US GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (BST) |
| FP1 | Friday 19 October | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 19 October | TBC |
| Sprint race | Saturday 20 October | TBC |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 20 October | TBC |
| US Grand Prix | Sunday 21 October | TBC |
Fifth F1 sprint race of 2025: Sao Paulo Grand Prix
🇧🇷 Interlagos (Brazil)
| Date — 7-9 November, 2025 Sprint race laps — 24 (TBC) Lap record — Valtteri Bottas, 1min 10.540sec (2018) |
 |
2025 Sao Paulo GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (GMT) |
| FP1 | Friday 7 November | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 7 November | TBC |
| Sprint race | Saturday 8 November | TBC |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 8 November | TBC |
| Sao Paulo Grand Prix | Sunday 9 November | TBC |
Sixth F1 sprint race of 2025: Qatar Grand Prix
🇶🇦 Losail (Qatar)
| Date — 28-30 November, 2025 Sprint race laps — 19 (TBC) Lap record — Lando Norris, 1min 22.238sec (2024) |
 |
2025 Qatar GP sprint race session times
Session |
Date |
Time (GMT) |
| FP1 | Friday 28 November | TBC |
| Sprint qualifying | Friday 28 November | TBC |
| Sprint race | Saturday 29 November | TBC |
| Grand Prix qualifying | Saturday 29 November | TBC |
| Qatar Grand Prix | Sunday 30 November | TBC |