Oct 7 (Reuters) - MotoGP's sprint races will have their own qualifying session from the 2027 season, resulting in a separate grid for the shorter high-intensity races, the motorcycle racing organisation announced on Wednesday.
• The sprints, which take place on Saturdays and offer 12 championship points for the winners, currently do not have their own qualifying sessions, and use the same grid positions as the Grand Prix races on Sunday.
• MotoGP will shorten the second practice session to 30 minutes, making way for a new 15-minute sprint qualifying session every Friday, to determine the starting positions for the shorter races.
• "The new format balances an incredible spectacle for fans and new stakes in each session," MotoGP said in a statement.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Purulia, India, editing by Ed Osmond)
