In avoiding one problem, F1’s 2026 calendar has created another

Last year, when it was announced that the Monaco Grand Prix was going to be moving from its traditional late-May slot in the Formula 1 calendar, I was probably a bit more excited than most.

Shifting Monaco was going to lessen the best day of racing of the year, as it would take away the iconic event from kicking off a Sunday that also included the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. But because I’m selfish, I though the change might open up the possibility of being able to cover both races next year, or at least head to the Brickyard and do it properly as a fan.

The reasoning for moving Monaco was to make the F1 schedule more efficient, allowing the Canadian Grand Prix to slot in earlier in the year and not having a standalone hop across the Atlantic after the European season had started. And that’s been achieved, with Monaco now the first European round in 2026, and the series not leaving the continent until late September.

What I didn’t see coming was the Canadian Grand Prix taking over Monaco’s weekend, being placed on the same day as the 500. And even if I park my own self-interest on this one, it’s still disappointing, and a decision I think F1 will come to view as a mistake.

If your initial reaction is “What’s the difference whether it’s Monaco or Montreal that day?” then the word ‘timezones’ is the explanation you need. A European round at the end of May meant a morning race start time for viewers and fans in the United States, whereas a North American race is set to directly clash for the first time.

The slated green flag time for the Indy 500 – based on this historical timings – is 12:45 Eastern, and the Canadian Grand Prix has started at 14:00 Eastern in recent years. Given the average run time for an Indy 500 is around three hours, you’re looking at a very good chance that both reach the business end at similar times.

Moving the race start time in Montreal further back is not really feasible either, as that takes it out of a good viewing window for the European market and would encroach on NASCAR in Charlotte.

When I first heard a few weeks ago that the dates were likely to clash and Indianapolis and Montreal to be run at the same time, I asked sources at F1 if it was accurate, to which the reply came that the series feels it has a different audience to the Indy 500.

Of course it does, but it also has a significant amount of crossover – both races are big events that a number of racing fans would want to watch if given the opportunity.

Former F1 director Sean Bratches used to subscribe to the mantra that a rising tide lifts all boats, but in this latest decision, it appears that philosophy is no longer being followed in the same way.

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I’m coming at it from a very F1-centric standpoint, and it must be said that it takes two to tango, but the Indy 500 date has long since been known. It was the F1 schedule that was evolving. The ball was in Stefano Domenicali’s court far more than it was Roger Penske’s on this occasion.

Such decisions are rarely made lightly or flippantly, and F1 will have looked at other options to try and maximize its own reach, but with 24 races a year it becomes increasingly tough to avoid multiple clashes. Throw in the Montreal climate and the race organizers had been reluctant to move earlier than the June slot in the first place given the need to prepare the venue.

There was also a desire to avoid being back-to-back with Miami to give each race a bit of room, and so it wasn’t just the weather that played a role. But a three-week gap between Miami and Montreal hardly seems game-changing compared to a two-week one.

What feels so strange about the timing of the Canada event is that it goes into direct competition with the biggest motorsport event in the United States, when F1 has been trying so hard to expand and cement its footprint in North America.

The viewership for the Indy 500 this year – averaging just over 7 million and peaking at 8.4m – against the season average of 2.1m, shows that this is an event that attracts viewers beyond regular IndyCar fans. It draws much wider interest from generic sports fans and passing viewers, many of who F1 should also be targeting.

Will the clash have a massive impact on attendances at either race? No, but I would bet a lot of money that there will be some fans in both sets of grandstands trying to keep an eye on the other event and wishing they weren’t having to chose one over the other.