F1 locks in 2026 start times as Monaco moves and Canada lines up a rare Indy 500 double-header
Formula 1 has nailed down its 2026 race weekend times, and the big headline is a shuffle that’ll make traditionalists blink: Monaco leaves its late-May perch for early June, and the Canadian Grand Prix slips into that vacant slot — with a later local start to tee up a mouthwatering Sunday double with the Indianapolis 500.
It’s all part of F1’s ongoing regionalisation of the calendar. The sport has finally budged on Monte Carlo’s sacred date, nudging the Principality to June 5-7. Montreal moves to May 22-24 and, crucially, its Sunday race will now start at 4pm local time. That’s two hours later than usual in 2026, timed so fans can watch the Indy 500 (traditional 12:45pm ET green flag) and flip straight to F1. It’s tight — three hours, 15 minutes between flags — but on a clean day it’s doable. Consider it motorsport’s version of a perfect relay handover.
The Sprint calendar is set too. Two venues return — China and Miami — while three new hosts join the format: Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore. Silverstone will stage a Sprint for the first time since 2021, adding a little extra needle to Britain’s blockbuster mid-summer weekend. Expect that to go down very well with the locals.
There’s a new city race to mark on the map as well: Madrid’s long-trailed street-and-stadium hybrid, the Madring, debuts September 11-13 with a 4pm Saturday qualifying and a 3pm Sunday race. It’s a classic European daytime slot, and if the renderings are anything to go by, it’ll become a TV director’s playground.
Night owls won’t be left wanting. Six night races bookend the season — starting under the lights in Bahrain and ending with the dusky day-to-night finale in Abu Dhabi — with Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Las Vegas and Qatar all glowing in between.
Here’s the full 2026 calendar with local race start times locked in:
– March 6-8: Australian Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– March 13-15: Chinese Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– March 27-29: Japanese Grand Prix — Race 2pm
– April 10-12: Bahrain Grand Prix — Race 6pm (night)
– April 17-19: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — Race 8pm (night)
– May 1-3: Miami Grand Prix — Race 4pm
– May 22-24: Canadian Grand Prix — Race 4pm
– June 5-7: Monaco Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– June 12-14: Spanish Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– June 26-28: Austrian Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– July 3-5: British Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– July 17-19: Belgian Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– July 24-26: Hungarian Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– August 21-23: Dutch Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– September 4-6: Italian Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– September 11-13: Madrid Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– September 25-27: Azerbaijan Grand Prix — Race 3pm
– October 9-11: Singapore Grand Prix — Race 8pm (night)
– October 23-25: United States Grand Prix (Austin) — Race 3pm
– October 30–November 1: Mexico City Grand Prix — Race 2pm
– November 6-8: SĂŁo Paulo Grand Prix — Race 2pm
– November 19-21: Las Vegas Grand Prix — Race 8pm (night)
– November 27-29: Qatar Grand Prix — Race 7pm (night)
– December 4-6: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Race 5pm (day-to-night)
Beyond the headlines, the pattern is familiar: Europe sees a steady run of 3pm Sunday starts, the Middle East remains a twilight showcase, and North America leans into late-afternoon TV windows. It’s a schedule built for rhythm, not chaos.
One more knock-on from Monaco’s move: that late-May Sunday becomes a proper North American motorsport holiday. If the weather gods behave in Indianapolis and Montreal keeps things tidy, viewers can binge the Indy 500 and a Canadian GP without missing a formation lap from either. That’s not F1 playing second fiddle — it’s the sport acknowledging the audience lives in one global feed now. Smart move.
As ever, Sprint weekends will add some jeopardy to Saturday. China and Miami know the drill; Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore will find out soon enough. And Silverstone with a Sprint? Expect the grandstands to treat it like a second race.
Mark your calendars. The dates are set, the start times are dialed in, and 2026 already looks busy — and a bit bolder — before a single wheel turns.
