Super Formula reveals 2026 season calendar with new opener
With the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka moving forward to March 29, the famous figure-of-eight venue will no longer host the first round of the Super Formula schedule next year, as it has done both in 2024 and this year.
That role has fallen to sister Honda-owned circuit Motegi, which will hold the opening round for the first time since the COVID-affected 2020 season on April 3-5.
It marks a significantly later start to the year than the current season, which began at Suzuka in early March, but that slot is understood to no longer be feasible due to the long lead time required to prepare the circuit for F1's annual visit.
Suzuka's first Super Formula date has now shifted back to May 22-24, with Autopolis moving to occupy the second round of the season on April 24-26.
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The final four dates on the calendar mirror those of this year, with Fuji holding the fourth event in mid-July and the sixth round in October, Sugo maintaining its early August slot, and Suzuka acting as the venue for the season decider in November.
While all seven rounds are listed as three-day events, it remains unclear whether there will be any more double-headers on next year's calendar compared to this year.
This year's schedule is made up of 12 races, including five double-headers, with only Autopolis and Sugo being held as single-race weekends.
The provisional calendar features no overseas races, which follows Super Formula adding a date to its 2025 schedule at Inje Speedium only to abort plans to visit the South Korean venue just two months later amid disagreements with the local promoter.
Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota Gazoo Racing team principal
Next year's calendar features no clashes with the World Endurance Championship, which will come as welcome news to Kamui Kobayashi.
Toyota driver Kobayashi was forced to skip this year's Motegi round due to a conflict with the WEC's 6 Hours of Imola, being replaced at KCMG by Seita Nonaka for that weekend, but the reshuffle of dates has resolved that clash for next year.
Provisional 2026 Super Formula calendar
3-5 April – Motegi24-26 April – Autopolis22-24 May – Suzuka17-19 July – Fuji7-9 August – Sugo9-11 October – Fuji20-22 November – Suzuka
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