F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali hints that the number of Sprints to be held in 2027 could increase to as many as ten.

Love 'em or loathe 'em the Sprints are here to stay, the big question being how many races are going to feature them.

Speaking over the weekend, Sky's Martin Brundle said that there are twelve planned for next season, meaning that half the races on the schedule would feature the 'mini-me' events.

However, Domenicali, although hinting that there will be an increase, didn't go as high as twelve.

"If you remember in the beginning, people were always sceptical of what we're doing," he told reporters in defence of the Sprints, which continue to divide drivers and fans alike.

"We have the duty to be, in a way, brave and to think out of the box," he continued.

"I think you see the effect," he insisted. "Friday, with the people that we had at Silverstone, if you don't give something that has to be an action, it would be wrong."

Of course, Friday's attendance figures were impressive, as was attendance throughout the weekend, but, other than the fact that the grand prix has always been well supported in Britain, the crossover into a music festival has increased numbers, which is exactly why COTA first tried the idea and others have copied ever since.

Though he didn't give a number, Domenicali hinted that, going forward, it will be more than the six we currently have.

"I think that this is the way to go," he said, "and we are in the process of announcing the bigger number for the future. This will come when we announce the calendar very, very soon."

Saturday's Sprint was just as frantic as F1 bosses had hoped for, with the full-on return of yo-yoing, courtesy of engine management, however, having learned from the experience, the opening laps of Sunday's race were far more cautious.

Make no mistake, this isn't about bums on seats at the track, two race starts, especially if they are like Saturday's, means more incidents, thereby increased TV viewership, while, in its quest to monetise every single aspect of the sport, even the driver parades, it offers all involved the opportunity to increase revenue.