Formula 1's decision to introduce a sprint race in Monaco for the 2027 season has drawn a lukewarm response from Lando Norris. The reigning world champion simply said: "Interesting."
F1 officially announced its 2027 calendar on Wednesday, increasing the number of sprint races from six to 10. Surprisingly, Monaco—the narrow and twisty street circuit where overtaking is nearly impossible—is included as a sprint host. Along with Monaco, sprints will debut in Bahrain, Australia, Japan, and Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Canada, Britain, Italy, Brazil, and Qatar remain on the sprint schedule as before.
Norris, speaking to Sky Sports F1 at the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth, repeated the word "interesting" several times when asked for his thoughts. "I guess the main thing is that means you've got FP1 and sprint qualifying on Friday—that's the challenge," he said. "Obviously not a lot happens in a race on Sunday or in the sprint, but the challenge is just one practice session straight in, which has probably never happened before in Monaco."
The McLaren driver believes that having only one hour of practice around the demanding Monaco circuit before competitive action will put extra pressure on the drivers. "That's more about relying on data from this year," Norris explained. "Obviously tougher for us as drivers. You don't have as much time to build up to things, so you're probably going to have to try and risk a little bit more earlier. That's normally when you can see a difference between people who can get comfy and be at 99 per cent and not go to 103 and 104 per cent—because in Monaco when you go to that limit, game over."
Nevertheless, Norris admitted that the addition of a sprint race in Monaco will add excitement for the fans. "It's more exciting for the fans and the people watching," he added. This suggests that while drivers must adapt to a challenging new format, entertainment value is a key consideration for F1.
F1's decision to add a sprint race in Monaco is indeed controversial. The Monte Carlo circuit is known as one of the hardest tracks to overtake on, often leading to processional races. However, with a sprint format featuring separate qualifying and a shorter race, F1 hopes to inject variability and tension throughout the weekend. Will it work? Only time will tell.
Norris's reaction is noteworthy as he is one of the more vocal drivers about race formats. Although he didn't outright reject the idea, the hesitation in his answer indicates he is not entirely enthusiastic. Monaco will remain a unique test for drivers, especially with only one practice session before sprint qualifying. We'll have to wait and see what drama unfolds on the streets of Monte Carlo in 2027.
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