Canadian Grand Prix set for May in 2026, schedule changes coming
Posted November 18, 2024 9:42 am.
The official promotor of the Canadian Grand Prix announced a new date for the popular racing event starting in 2026.
The Octane Racing Group, alongside several partners including the Canadian government and the City of Montreal, agreed to change the Grand Prix’s dates to line up with Formula 1, by hosting the race earlier on the third or fourth weekend in May.
According to a press release, the move will allow the European leg of the season to be transitioned into one consecutive period during the summer. It’s also going to reduce carbon emissions by eliminating a trip for the Formula 1 community each year.
“This change in the schedule is a major step in our commitment, as well as Formula 1’s, toward a more sustainable future,” said Octane Racing Group CEO Jean-Philippe Paradis. “It demonstrates our desire to combine sporting performance and event organization with environmental responsibility. We are determined to offer our fans, our communities, and our loyal audience a unique and enriched experience, in addition to extending the summer season for Montreal.”
Other changes have already been made to the F1 calendar in recent years, including moving the Japanese Grand Prix to the spring to align with races in Asia.
“Azerbaijan has moved to the autumn as the championship turns east to Singapore, and Qatar has moved to be closely aligned with Abu Dhabi at the end of the season. As previously announced, as part of this wider rationalisation of the calendar, the Monaco Grand Prix will be contested on the first full weekend in June each year from 2026,” reads the press release.
The next Canadian Grand Prix will take place from June 13 to 15, 2025.
“I am incredibly grateful to the promoter and all of the government stakeholder partners involved in the Canadian Grand Prix, from the local, to the provincial and national government,” said Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. “We applaud the tremendous effort from all involved to accelerate the temporary build of the event, to be ready to host the Formula 1 community earlier than in the past. The change will make the future flow of our calendar not only more sustainable, but logistically more sensible for our teams and personnel. Our Net Zero by 2030 commitment continues to be a priority for us as a sport and it is thanks to changes like this that we are on track to hitting our goal.”
