Yahoo Autos F1 Monaco Grand Prix to Avoid Indy 500, Move off of Memorial Day Weekend in 2026
A three-year agreement, covering 2023-25, was already agreed to, but on Thursday a new six-year deal was revealed.
The deal secures Monaco’s F1 future through 2031.
Monaco’s Grand Prix first took place in 1929 and was part of the inaugural F1 world championship season in 1950.
Formula 1 and the Automobile Club de Monaco have reached an agreement for the Monaco Grand Prix to remain part of the F1 championship schedule through at least 2031.
As part of the deal, the race will move in 2026 to June and avoid conflict with the Indianapolis 500 and establish a "Triple Crown" schedule where the Indy 500, Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be held on consecutive weekends.
The move would also end what has become a "greatest (if not longest) day of racing" in the U.S. where the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 400 and NASCAR Coke 600 from Charlotte traditionally run back-to-back-to-back the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
Monaco’s place on the calendar had been questioned in recent seasons, amid the sport’s expansion, and Formula 1 sought several concessions in the previous contract. That included Monaco confirming to a normal timetable—practice used to take place on Thursdays—and Formula 1 taking over control of trackside signage and the television broadcast.
A three-year agreement, covering 2023-25, was already agreed to, but on Thursday a new six-year deal was revealed, securing Monaco’s future through 2031. Monaco’s Grand Prix first took place in 1929 and was part of the inaugural world championship season in 1950, with only Italy’s Monza holding more races in Formula 1 history.
Monaco has long been held on the final weekend of May—clashing with the Indianapolis 500—but from 2026 its event will shift to the first full weekend of June. That is part of Formula 1’s ambition to better regionalize its championship calendar. It has been striving for Canada’s round, which currently takes place in mid-June as the sole transatlantic trip in the European portion of the campaign, to relocate to May, and form a back-to-back pairing with Miami.
Monaco’s date shift is only one week but it clears the path for Canada to move up in the calendar—a situation organizers in Montreal have previously resisted due to the risk of colder weather.
A Grand Prix could yet clash with the Indy 500—depending on how Formula 1 arranges its schedule—but beginning in 2026 racing's Triple Crown of events (Indy 500, Monaco Grand Prix, 24 Hours of Le Mans) could take place across successive weekends, with the Le Mans 24 Hours taking place in mid-June.
“I’m delighted that Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until 2031,” Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said. “The streets of Monte Carlo are unique and a famous part of Formula 1, and the Monaco Grand Prix remains a race that all drivers dream of winning.
I would like to extend a special thanks to H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club of Monaco and everyone involved in the extension of this important partnership.
“This agreement signals a new era of partnership and innovation between Formula 1 and Monaco. It is the future focused leadership of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco which will allow us to create an optimised calendar, which reduces pressure on logistics, and to decrease the environmental impact of our global Championship, as we continue the path towards our Net Zero goal by 2030.”
Domenicali last week indicated that Formula 1 could introduce a handful of rotational Grands Prix In Europe, held every two years, from 2026.
Changes Coming
Domenicali prefers to keep Formula 1’s calendar at 24 events, but there remains interest from several countries. Madrid will join in 2026 on a long-term contract.
The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, and Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps will all see their contracts expire after 2025.
Despite Madrid’s impending arrival in 2026, long-term Spanish Grand Prix host venue Barcelona also holds a contract for that year.
