Motor racing-Monaco sprint ‘makes no sense’, says Hamilton

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton said a Formula ​One sprint race in Monaco made no sense, ​with the principality's tight and twisty ‌street layout ​needing a different solution to spice up the action.

Formula One announced Monaco as one of a record 10 sprint venues when it published its 2027 calendar ‌last week. The move caused some surprise, with the harbourside layout, where overtaking is almost impossible, serving up exciting qualifying action but processional races won from pole.

While a sprint weekend would give fans two qualifying sessions, it would also mean another ‌race in addition to Sunday's showcase grand prix that, while shorter, is expected to be just as devoid ‌of overtaking. "It makes no sense to me," Hamilton told reporters at the Baku street circuit on Wednesday ahead of Saturday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

"I have always said Monaco needs to be different. "We have included sprint races, and I think that has brought something new to the sport ⁠but we ​need to come up with ⁠something new for somewhere like that."

"I don't know what that is, but sprint races are not the answer," added the Ferrari driver and ⁠three-time Monaco winner. Formula One introduced the sprint format in 2021, trialling it at three races that year.

The 2026 season features six ​sprint events, with Singapore, another street venue, set to host the year's final sprint next month. A Saturday sprint ⁠victory is worth eight points to the winner, meaning a driver can come away from the weekend with a maximum of 33 rather ⁠than ​the usual 25 if he wins both.

Formula One said that its data showed total viewership of sprint weekends was 12% higher than non-sprint weekends. But McLaren's reigning world champion Lando Norris said there were better venues at which ⁠to host a sprint.

"Honestly, it's not our decision to choose where we race, so again, no point wasting my ⁠time thinking about it," said ⁠the Briton. Red Bull's four-times world champion Max Verstappen, never a fan of the sprint format, added, "It's the same scenario as what happens in the main race right?

"You are ‌excited for the ‌start and then you can't pass."