Sprint Races

The sprint_results.py script fetches results from F1 sprint races, a shorter race format introduced in 2021 that awards points and determines grid positions.

Sprint races were introduced in 2021 and are only held at select events. Not all races have sprint data.

Script Overview

Location: ~/workspace/source/sprint_results.py The SprintResultsFetcher class:

Checks if a race weekend includes a sprint event
Fetches sprint race results
Saves data to the race directory
Handles races without sprint events gracefully

API Endpoint

url = f"https://api.jolpi.ca/ergast/f1/{season}/{round_num}/sprint.json"

Sprint Race Format

Sprint races are shorter races (typically 100km) held on Saturday:

2021-2022: Top 3 finishers scored points (3-2-1)
2023-present: Top 8 finishers score points (8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1)

Sprint race results determine the starting grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

SprintResultsFetcher Class

Initialization

class SprintResultsFetcher:
    def __init__(self, base_dir="."):
        self.base_dir = Path(base_dir)
        self.base_url = "https://api.jolpi.ca/ergast/f1"
        # Rate limits
        self.burst_limit = 4  # requests per second
        self.last_request_time = 0

Check for Sprint Event

def has_sprint(self, race):
    """Check if a race has a sprint event"""
    return "Sprint" in race

The race metadata from the events API includes a Sprint field if the weekend has a sprint race.

Get Race Information

def get_race_info(self, season, round_num):
    """Get race information for the specified season and round"""
    events_file = self.base_dir / str(season) / "events.json"

    if not events_file.exists():
        logger.warning(f"Events file not found for season {season}")
        # Try to fetch from API
        url = f"{self.base_url}/{season}/races.json"
        data = self.make_request(url)
        if (
            data
            and "MRData" in data
            and "RaceTable" in data["MRData"]
            and "Races" in data["MRData"]["RaceTable"]
        ):
            races = data["MRData"]["RaceTable"]["Races"]
            for race in races:
                if race["round"] == str(round_num):
                    return race
        return None

    try:
        with open(events_file, "r") as f:
            data = json.load(f)
            races = data["MRData"]["RaceTable"]["Races"]
            for race in races:
                if race["round"] == str(round_num):
                    return race
    except Exception as e:
        logger.error(f"Error reading events file: {e}")
        return None

Fetch Sprint Results

def get_sprint_results(self, season, round_num):
    """Get sprint results for a specific season and round"""
    url = f"{self.base_url}/{season}/{round_num}/sprint.json"
    return self.make_request(url)

def fetch_sprint_for_round(self, season, round_num):
    """Fetch sprint results for a specific season and round"""
    logger.info(f"Fetching sprint results for season {season}, round {round_num}")

    # Create season directory
    season_dir = self.base_dir / str(season)
    os.makedirs(season_dir, exist_ok=True)

    # Get race information
    race = self.get_race_info(season, round_num)

    if not race:
        logger.warning(
            f"Race information not found for season {season}, round {round_num}"
        )
        return False

    race_name = self.get_race_folder_name(race)

    # Check if race has a sprint
    if not self.has_sprint(race):
        logger.warning(
            f"No sprint for {race_name} (Round {round_num}) in season {season}"
        )
        return False

    logger.info(f"Found sprint race: {race_name} (Round {round_num})")

    # Create race directory
    race_dir = season_dir / race_name
    os.makedirs(race_dir, exist_ok=True)

    # Get sprint results
    sprint_results = self.get_sprint_results(season, round_num)

    if sprint_results:
        sprint_results_path = race_dir / "sprint_results.json"
        return self.save_json(sprint_results, sprint_results_path)
    else:
        logger.warning(
            f"No sprint results found for {race_name} (Round {round_num})"
        )
        return False

Output Structure

Stored at: {year}/{race-name}/sprint_results.json

{
  "MRData": {
    "series": "f1",
    "url": "https://api.jolpi.ca/ergast/f1/2021/10/sprint.json",
    "limit": "30",
    "offset": "0",
    "total": "20",
    "RaceTable": {
      "season": "2021",
      "round": "10",
      "Races": [
        {
          "season": "2021",
          "round": "10",
          "raceName": "British Grand Prix",
          "Circuit": {
            "circuitId": "silverstone",
            "circuitName": "Silverstone Circuit",
            "Location": {
              "lat": "52.0786",
              "long": "-1.01694",
              "locality": "Silverstone",
              "country": "UK"
            }
          },
          "date": "2021-07-18",
          "time": "14:00:00Z",
          "SprintResults": [
            {
              "number": "33",
              "position": "1",
              "positionText": "1",
              "points": "3",
              "Driver": {
                "driverId": "max_verstappen",
                "permanentNumber": "33",
                "code": "VER",
                "givenName": "Max",
                "familyName": "Verstappen",
                "dateOfBirth": "1997-09-30",
                "nationality": "Dutch"
              },
              "Constructor": {
                "constructorId": "red_bull",
                "name": "Red Bull",
                "nationality": "Austrian"
              },
              "grid": "2",
              "laps": "17",
              "status": "Finished",
              "Time": {
                "millis": "1538426",
                "time": "25:38.426"
              },
              "FastestLap": {
                "lap": "14",
                "Time": {
                  "time": "1:30.013"
                }
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Sprint Results Data Fields

Field	Description
`number`	Driver’s car number
`position`	Finishing position in sprint
`positionText`	Position as text
`points`	Points awarded (varies by year)
`Driver`	Driver information
`Constructor`	Team information
`grid`	Starting position for sprint
`laps`	Number of laps completed
`status`	Finish status
`Time`	Finishing time
`FastestLap`	Fastest lap in the sprint

Usage Example

Single Sprint Race

from sprint_results import SprintResultsFetcher

fetcher = SprintResultsFetcher(base_dir=".")
success = fetcher.fetch_sprint_for_round(2021, 10)  # British GP

if success:
    print("Sprint results fetched successfully")

Check All Rounds for Sprints

fetcher = SprintResultsFetcher(base_dir=".")
season = 2024

for round_num in range(1, 25):
    success = fetcher.fetch_sprint_for_round(season, round_num)
    if success:
        logger.info(f"Found sprint data for round {round_num}")

Find Sprint Weekends

import json
from pathlib import Path

season = 2024
events_file = Path(str(season)) / "events.json"

with open(events_file) as f:
    data = json.load(f)
    races = data["MRData"]["RaceTable"]["Races"]
    
    sprint_races = [r for r in races if "Sprint" in r]
    print(f"Found {len(sprint_races)} sprint races in {season}")
    
    for race in sprint_races:
        print(f"Round {race['round']}: {race['raceName']}")

Sprint Race History

Sprint Weekends by Year

Season	Number of Sprints	Notable Races
2021	3	British, Italian, São Paulo
2022	3	Emilia Romagna, Austrian, São Paulo
2023	6	Multiple events
2024	6	Multiple events

The number and selection of sprint race weekends varies each season. Always check the events data to identify which rounds include sprints.

Points Distribution

2021-2022

points = {
    1: 3,
    2: 2,
    3: 1
}

2023-Present

points = {
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1
}

Analysis Example

import json

# Compare sprint and race results
race_dir = "2021/british-grand-prix"

with open(f"{race_dir}/sprint_results.json") as f:
    sprint = json.load(f)
    sprint_winner = sprint["MRData"]["RaceTable"]["Races"][0]["SprintResults"][0]

with open(f"{race_dir}/results.json") as f:
    race = json.load(f)
    race_winner = race["MRData"]["RaceTable"]["Races"][0]["Results"][0]

print(f"Sprint winner: {sprint_winner['Driver']['familyName']}")
print(f"Race winner: {race_winner['Driver']['familyName']}")

Logging

logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.INFO,
    format="%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s",
    handlers=[
        logging.FileHandler("sprint_results_fetch.log"),
        logging.StreamHandler()
    ]
)

Events

Check which races have sprint events

Race Results

Compare sprint vs. race outcomes

Qualifying

Qualifying sets sprint grid (reverse order)

Getting Started

Data Collection

Data Structure

Usage Guide

Script Overview

API Endpoint

Sprint Race Format

SprintResultsFetcher Class

Initialization

Check for Sprint Event

Get Race Information

Fetch Sprint Results

Output Structure

Sprint Results Data Fields

Usage Example

Single Sprint Race

Check All Rounds for Sprints

Find Sprint Weekends

Sprint Race History

Sprint Weekends by Year

Points Distribution

2021-2022

2023-Present

Analysis Example

Logging

Events

Race Results

Qualifying

​Script Overview

​API Endpoint

​Sprint Race Format

​SprintResultsFetcher Class

​Initialization

​Check for Sprint Event

​Get Race Information

​Fetch Sprint Results

​Output Structure

​Sprint Results Data Fields

​Usage Example

​Single Sprint Race

​Check All Rounds for Sprints

​Find Sprint Weekends

​Sprint Race History

​Sprint Weekends by Year

​Points Distribution

​2021-2022

​2023-Present

​Analysis Example

​Logging

​Related Scripts

Events

Race Results

Qualifying

Script Overview

API Endpoint

Sprint Race Format

SprintResultsFetcher Class

Initialization

Check for Sprint Event

Get Race Information

Fetch Sprint Results

Output Structure

Sprint Results Data Fields

Usage Example

Single Sprint Race

Check All Rounds for Sprints

Find Sprint Weekends

Sprint Race History

Sprint Weekends by Year

Points Distribution

2021-2022

2023-Present

Analysis Example

Logging

Related Scripts