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2026 F1 Calendar Bombshell: Canadian GP to Clash with Indy 500 in Epic Showdown

2026 F1 Calendar Bombshell: Canadian GP to Clash with Indy 500 in Epic Showdown

Yahoo3 days ago

Peter Casey-Imagn Images
The 2026 F1 calendar dropped today, unveiling a packed lineup of races with bold changes that promise high-octane drama but have already sparked heated debate among fans and teams alike. It also revealed a first-ever for the sport: a head-to-head race against the Indy 500.
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F1 and the FIA have revealed the schedule for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship, confirming another 24-round season. The championship will visit five continents, starting in Australia from March 6-8, 2026, and concluding in Abu Dhabi from December 4-6, 2026. The 2026 F1 season marks a new era with brand-new technical regulations and cars powered by 100% sustainable fuel. We'll also see big automotive names like Audi, Cadillac, and Ford joining the grid in various capacities.
Here are the changes to the 2026 F1 calendar, including a new race and some familiar circuits being reshuffled or eliminated from the schedule.
Related: Max Verstappen would be 'wise' to take 2026 off says former F1 champ
The 2026 F1 calendar changes have some steaming mad
Credit: F1
One of the most notable changes to the 2026 Formula 1 calendar is the debut of Madrid, which will take over as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix from September 11-13. With the addition of the race at the Madring, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola has been dropped from the schedule for now. Imola's mayor has released a statement expressing disappointment but is hopeful for a future return.
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'This is news we were aware of and which, understandably, generates questions, disappointment and bitterness, because in recent years our territory has demonstrated its ability to host an extraordinary event with record numbers,' said Imola mayor Marco Panieri in a released statement. 'The grand prix in Imola was one of the most loved and appreciated by fans and drivers, as demonstrated in the days following the event. However, we want to be very clear: this news does not represent the end of the story.'
Read More: 2025 F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola: Top 5 Storylines
Key shifts aimed at efficiency mean key date changes for F1
Credit: Mike DiNovo-Imagn Images
There are also some key shifts in timing with the new 2026 Formula 1 calendar aimed at improving the geographical flow and efficiency.
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The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal moves to May 22-24, following the Miami Grand Prix on May 1-3. This earlier slot in the 2026 Formula 1 calendar allows equipment to move more efficiently between the two North American events. Interestingly, the new date for the Canadian GP (May 24 weekend) means it will clash with the Indianapolis 500, traditionally held on the same weekend. The Monaco Grand Prix also shifts later, moving from its usual late May slot to June 5-7, kicking off a consolidated European leg of the season.
The 2026 Formula 1 calendar features familiar venues, including Silverstone (July 3-5), Spa-Francorchamps (July 17-19), and Monza (September 4-6), as well as three races in the USA at Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas. The season will again end with a triple-header in the Americas, followed by Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Related: F1 Power Rankings 2025: Top 10 entering Canadian Grand Prix
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F1 Academy director Susie Wolff wants to inspire more women to race
F1 Academy director Susie Wolff wants to inspire more women to race

Hamilton Spectator

time30 minutes ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

F1 Academy director Susie Wolff wants to inspire more women to race

MONTREAL - Susie Wolff is the most recent female driver to get behind the wheel of a Formula One car during a Grand Prix weekend. She wants to make sure she wasn't the last. To cap her decorated racing career, Wolff took part in a free practice session four times, making her debut for Williams at the British Grand Prix in 2014 to become the first woman since 1992 to participate in F1. Since 2023, the 42-year-old from Scotland has worked as the managing director for F1 Academy, an F1-funded series helping young female drivers develop in the sport. 'F1 Academy is a chance of a lifetime to create positive impact in the sport,' she said. 'I certainly never thought in my lifetime that I would see an all-female series financed, invested in and supported by F1 and all 10 Formula One teams racing on F1 weekend.' F1 Academy is considered the top women's circuit after the W Series disbanded in 2022. Drivers must be aged 16 to 25 and can only compete for two seasons in the single-seater F4 championship. The series, which recently signed a major partnership with Gatorade as its official sports drink, made its debut at the Canadian GP with two races on Saturday followed by another on Sunday. Gatorade sponsored 16-year-old wild card driver Mathilda Paatz in her debut this weekend. Canadian GP organizers announced Saturday that F1 Academy would return to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Grand Prix weekend through 2028. 'We love it. We're feeling so much love here,' Wolff said. 'So much passion from the fans.' Past F1 Academy winners have graduated to higher levels of motorsport. The goal, eventually, is for more female drivers to rise up to F1. 'That's a long-term ambition. We've got to be realistic in that it's tough to get to Formula One, regardless of your gender,' Wolff said. 'We already see more women, in the whole paddock and racing, if it's about when we're going to see women in Formula One, then for sure, it's going to take a bit more time.' In the meantime, F1 Academy offers young female drivers a chance to develop their careers for two years under the F1 umbrella. 'I know that (F1 participation) is not something that will happen overnight, but the truth is, in motorsport, we have an issue with it being quite inaccessible,' Wolff said. 'There's a high financial barrier to entry, and I think by breaking down the kind of barriers in terms of showing women what the pathway can be, and then secondly, taking away that financial barrier, we just give these young drivers a much better chance of success.' Just over a decade since her F1 debut, Wolff said the F1 Academy represents just how much things have changed for women in motorsports. 'It was massively different (in 2014), because I was always the only one, but also the world was different,' she said. 'We've seen a lot of positive change, and I think the sport has progressed with that. 'I don't have any bitterness or regret to look back and say, 'God, I would have loved this opportunity.' I would have, but I also feel a certain pride in having made it possible for the next generation.' Wolff never started a race in F1. Only two women have, but not in nearly five decades. Maria Teresa de Filippis raced in three from 1958 to 1959, while Lella Lombardi totalled 17 starts between 1974 and 1976. Moving forward, Wolff said she has two main objectives for the F1 Academy: growing its audience and inspiring more women to participate in racing. 'Educating people that we exist and that we're entertaining racing to watch, and that then leads to the second (thing) — by existing, we need to inspire more young women to get into the sport,' she said. 'We don't have the luxury of there being thousands and thousands of young girls racing. We need more racing so that we can take the very base of the crop and help them excel up the motorsport ladder.' Wolff, who is married to Mercedes executive Toto Wolff, notes that F1's following has shifted, with '42 per cent of the global fan base now female.' The championship has gained exposure with its 'F1: The Academy' docuseries on Netflix, inspired by F1's highly successful behind-the-scenes 'Drive To Survive' show. 'There's just so many more women in the paddock, watching the sport, and now with F1 Academy, competing in the sport,' she said. 'That wasn't the case 10 years ago. We've still got a long way to go, but we've definitely seen progress.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.

Ferrari Wins Its Third Straight Le Mans After Robert Kubica's Heroic Final Stint
Ferrari Wins Its Third Straight Le Mans After Robert Kubica's Heroic Final Stint

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Ferrari Wins Its Third Straight Le Mans After Robert Kubica's Heroic Final Stint

Robert Kubica's career has included a promising early stint in Formula 1, one long recovery from a harrowing rally crash, and another triumphant return to F1. All pale in comparison to what he accomplished today, driving AF Corse's yellow No. 83 Ferrari to the overall win over a heroic hours-long stint with multiple tire changes. The three AF Corse-run Ferraris flexed their muscles early, charging up to a 1-2-3 running order in the evening. Overnight troubles pushed all three cars down the order, but the race's lone safety car overnight erased the small gaps opened by the mistakes. Ferrari's trio surged back into the same positions within hours of the restart, and the No. 51 that had led much of the race even recovered from a spin on the way into the pit lane to retain a spot in the top three From there, it looked like smooth sailing. Matt Campbell changed that with an exceptional stint in the No. 6 Porsche, which had been running fourth at the time. Campbell gained half of his minute gap to the leaders back when the leading No. 51 Ferrari spun, and he then charged past both that car and the sister no. 50 entry on track. Only the No. 83 remained, and a tire change on the last stop left that car within just eight seconds of the quick Porsche. Those faster tires made the difference, and Robert Kubica steadily rebuilt the lead to 14 seconds in the closing stint. That was enough to secure the win over the No. 6 Porsche, leaving the No. 50 and No. 51 Ferrari to battle among themselves for the final spot on the overall podium. The No. 51 entry won that battle by a margin of just over one second. Kubica, Yifei Ye, and Phil Hanson become the seventh, eighth, and ninth drivers to secure overall wins for Ferrari in the past three 24 Hours of Le Mans races. The achievement also means that every single 499 P entry has won the race overall, and that every single driver currently on the team's WEC Hypercar roster has accomplished the honor. All three drivers are first-time winners of the race. Both Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye are the first drivers from their home countries, China and Poland, to ever win Le Mans overall. Since the No. 83 AF Corse 499 P is technically entered as a customer car, the Ferrari also becomes a rare privateer overall winner in the ultimate race for factory sports car operations In LMP2, a late speeding penalty seemed like it would doom Inter Europol Competition's trio of Nick Yelloly, Tom Dillmann, and Jakub Smiechowski. The VDS Panis car that team was fighting for the lead suddenly sloweds in the final half hour of the race, opening the door for the Inter Europol car to take the class win. AO by TF's entry completed the podium, winning the LMP2 pro/am subclass. While both prototype classes saw major battles late, the fight for the win in the LM GT3 category was less competitive. Richard Lietz led the charge for Manthey's 1st Phorm-branded 911 GT3 Cup program, bringing home a comfortable win with co-drivers Ryan Hardwick Riccardo Pera. Vista AF Corse's Ferrari 296 and TF Sport's Corvette Z06 GT3.R also scored podium finishes in the race's sole GT3 class. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car

NASCAR at Mexico City 2025: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Viva Mexico 250
NASCAR at Mexico City 2025: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Viva Mexico 250

USA Today

time7 hours ago

  • USA Today

NASCAR at Mexico City 2025: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Viva Mexico 250

NASCAR at Mexico City 2025: Start time, TV, streaming, lineup for Viva Mexico 250 Show Caption Hide Caption Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s take on lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. says despite the lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR, He believes NASCAR is better off with Michael Jordan as part of the sport. NASCAR is going international for the first time in decades this weekend. For the first time since 1998, the series is racing outside the U.S. with a stop at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The circuit is one of the most prestigious in Mexico, and the country's home of racing for Formula 1 as well as Formula E. It is the second road course race of the year. It'll be a tough challenge for the drivers due to the high elevation of Mexico City. At 7,349 feet above sea level, the air is thin enough to strain both the cars and drivers as they power through the 15-corner track layout. NASCAR GOES INTERNATIONAL: What to know about first Cup race in Mexico This is the first time NASCAR is racing internationally in a points-paying event since 1958. But it's not an entirely unfamiliar track to some of the drivers on the 2025 grid. The Xfinity Series raced at the circuit for four years in the 2000s, and reigning race winner Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag in one of those events. Hamlin secured himself a top seed in NASCAR's first in-season challenge with his win at Michigan International Speedway on June 8. The 32-driver field will have another chance to move up or down the bracket in Mexico City, which marks the second of three seeding races. They'll have one more chance at Pocono Raceway on June 22. NASCAR IN-SEASON CHALLENGE: What you need to know about the new tournament But the immediate focus is navigating the circuit in Mexico. Here's all the information you need to get ready for the historic race in Mexico City on June 15. What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Mexico City start? The Viva Mexico 250 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET Sunday at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Mexico City on? The Viva Mexico 250 is the latest race on the calendar to be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video, meaning there is no national TV coverage for the race. This is the fourth week in a row on the streaming service and there will be one more NASCAR race exclusively shown on Prime Video. Pre-race coverage will start at 2 p.m. ET. Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Mexico City? Yes, the Viva Mexico 250 will be streamed on Prime Video. How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Mexico City? The Viva Mexico 250 is 100 laps around the 2.429-mile track for a total of 242.9 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 20 laps; Stage 2: 25 laps; Stage 3: 55 laps. Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Mexico City last year? As this is the first Cup Series race in Mexico City, there was no winner last season. NASCAR's second tier Xfinity Series ran four races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez from 2005 to 2008. Kyle Busch won the most recent race there in 2008 following wins by Juan Pablo Montoya (2007), Hamlin (2006) and Martin Truex Jr. (2005). What is the lineup for the Viva Mexico 250 at Mexico City? (Car number in parentheses) (88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet (60) Ryan Preece, Ford (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet (22) Joey Logano, Ford (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet (21) Josh Berry, Ford (43) Erik Jones, Toyota (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota (17) Chris Buescher, Ford (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota (2) Austin Cindric, Ford (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet (38) Zane Smith, Ford (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota (41) Cole Custer, Ford (24) William Byron, Chevrolet (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet (51) Cody Ware, Ford (4) Noah Gragson, Ford (11) Ryan Truex, Toyota (78) Katherine Legge, Chevrolet The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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