Esteban Ocon, F1 Sprint race? I have a better idea

Esteban Ocon, following the announcement of the six new F1 Sprint Race scheduled for 2026, expressed considerable skepticism. The French driver has never had a great relationship with these short Saturday races. He finds them as something suited to a consumerist world. The format, designed primarily to appeal to the younger generations who have recently discovered Formula 1, hasn’t won over everyone’s hearts.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had even floated the idea of shortening main races to avoid boring the audience. Along these lines, the new Sprint Race calendar—set to accompany the main Sunday events—was announced yesterday. We covered all the details in this in-depth article 2026 F1 sprint race calendar: 3 new layouts

Esteban Ocon’s Key Points on F1 Sprint Race

Esteban Ocon voiced strong reservations about the increasing number of Sprint Races being added to the Formula 1 calendar. Here are the key highlights of his position:

• Too Many Sprints = Too Much. Ocon criticized the idea of having a Sprint at every race weekend, calling it an “extreme” approach. In his view, an oversaturation of Sprints could undermine the significance of the Grand Prix itself. It should remain the centerpiece of the weekend.
• Weekend Overload: He pointed out that the current format already includes a dense schedule: qualifying, Sprint, and the main race—suggesting that adding even more would dilute the value of each session.
• Alternative Proposal: Ocon proposed a different solution—revamping qualifying. He suggested reintroducing a “Super Pole”-style format (a single timed lap to set the grid), similar to what F1 used between 2003 and 2005. This, he argues, would inject excitement and unpredictability without the need for more races.

More Sprints in 2027 calendar?

Indeed, Ocon’s words aren’t entirely exaggerated — especially considering some rumors suggest that even more Sprint races could be added in 2027. And if F1 is planning to introduce more of them, it likely means the format has received a generally positive response from the audience.
What about you? Are you in favor or against having so many Sprints on the calendar?