P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The new slot on the calendar for the Canadian Grand Prix will cause a major headache.
In 2026, the F1 world championship will go head-to-head with the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in history, as the Canadian Grand Prix was rescheduled. The Montreal race traditionally took place after Monaco and Indy 500 in June, but in 2026, it will be held on May 22nd-24th. This change aims to regionalize the F1 calendar, with Miami starting the North American leg on May 1st-3rd and Monaco beginning an uninterrupted European season on June 5th-7th. However, moving the Canadian GP to May 24th creates a clash with the Indy 500, usually starting around 12:45 ET on the Sunday before Memorial Day in 2026, falling on May 25th.
The Canadian GP typically starts at 14:00 ET, aligning with European prime time, causing a direct overlap with the Indy 500 in the same market. Despite previous Monaco GP and Indy 500 occurrences on the same day, Monaco usually concluded before the Indy 500 green flag, accompanied by NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600. There could be another major clash for F1 with the Le Mans 24 Hours, as the Barcelona race is scheduled for June 12th-14th on the 2026 calendar. This alignment might cause both races to conclude simultaneously if Le Mans is not shifted back to the third weekend of June.
