F1 2026 Schedule: Canadian GP Clashes with Indy 500

According to Motorsport.com, the scheduling conflict between the 2026 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix and IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 is expected to occur only once every five years.

F1 has announced its 24-race calendar for 2026 with several key changes — the Imola GP replaced by a new race in Madrid, while the Canadian GP moves to May 22-24.

The relocation of the Montreal GP to May has several strategic reasons:

• Bringing it closer to Miami GP for logistics efficiency
• Considering Montreal’s unpredictable weather conditions
• Optimizing event preparation time

Carlos Sainz has performed a demonstration on Madrid’s new hybrid track that combines street circuit with permanent track — including a high-speed banked corner.

Despite the overlap with Indy 500, F1 is proceeding with this plan due to perceived differences in viewer demographics between the events. For 2027, the Canadian GP is planned to return to its schedule before the Indianapolis 500.

The 2026 F1 calendar also eliminates triple-headers during the European season, while maintaining an intense run of six races within seven weeks at season’s end — including the Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi series.