Why the 2026 F1 calendar forces fans to choose between Canadian GP and Indy 500

On Tuesday morning, the new F1 calendar for 2026 was unveiled. It was noted that the Grand Prix of Canada has been moved up compared to previous seasons. Normally, Canada was always in the middle of the European season, now Canada – much more logically – follows after the Grand Prix of Miami.

However, there's a problem for the Canadian GP: the race on May 24, 2026, is on the exact same date as the Indy 500. Due to the time zone in which the two events are held, this results in a direct clash between two major sports events.

GPblog understands, however, that it's not an annual problem. The Indy 500 and the Grand Prix of Canada will clash once every five years, due to the days shifting slightly each year. In 2026, motorsports fans will have to choose, but in the next four years, that won't be necessary.

The new spot on the Formula 1 calendar for Canada makes much more sense. In previous seasons, like in 2025, Canada was often scheduled between two European races. Teams, drivers, fans, and all other stakeholders had to travel halfway around the world, while the circus had just been in America.

Formula 1 and the FIA wanted to move away from this, partly due to their climate goals. These parties had long wanted Canada to be scheduled earlier in the calendar, but according to insiders, this was blocked by the organization in Montreal. Now, the parties are aligned again, leading to the Grand Prix being moved up.

Why not right after the Grand Prix of Miami? It seems very logical, since traveling from Miami to Montreal is easier than heading back to the factory. However, two important factors play a role here.

Firstly, it's about the conditions in Montreal itself. If the Grand Prix were organized a week after Miami, that is, on the weekend of May 10th, the chance of snow and extreme cold in Montreal is very high. The F1 cannot take this risk.

Besides the conditions, ticket sales also play an important role. Two Grands Prix located relatively close to each other and scheduled back-to-back on the calendar could also result in lower ticket sales for one of the two events. To accommodate the promoters, the date of May 22-24, three weeks after the GP in Miami, was chosen.