F1's decision to go head-to-head with Indy 500 is a lose-lose for motorsports

Moreso than their counterparts in other sports, motorsports officials and competitors usually abide by the saying that "a rising tide lifts all ships." 

That's why it's confusing that Formula One seems to be trying to take the spotlight off what is arguably the greatest oval race in the world by scheduling a race on the same continent, and likely at the same time, as the Indianapolis 500. 

Perhaps the biggest talking point following the release of F1's 2026 schedule Tuesday is the fact the circuit will be in Montreal for a race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on May 24. That's the same day that an estimated 350,000 fans will converge on Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 — a race first run in 1911, 39 years before the first F1 season. 

While it's true that F1 has intentionally raced on the same day as the Indianapolis 500 since 2006, that race — the famed Monaco Grand Prix — always took place early in the morning in North America, giving race fans who wanted to tune in to both races ample opportunity to catch plenty of pre-race festivities at Indianapolis after the checkered flag flew in Monaco. 

But this scheduling move seems to be an attempt to stick a dagger in F1's American open-wheel racing competitor on its biggest day. F1 remains much more popular than IndyCar globally and nationally, but the Indy 500 transcends IndyCar itself. It's the largest single-day spectator sporting event in the world, and one that in 2025, drew 7.05 million viewers compared to F1's 2.3 million for Monaco. In 2026, Monaco will instead be run two weeks later (June 7). 

Of course, F1's global reach far exceeds that of IndyCar, but that's no reason for F1, a sport trying to shake the notion that it caters more to the elite than the common man, to pretend that one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world isn't happening 850 miles south of Montreal. 

Aside from being a slap in the face to IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500, the decision to race in Canada on the same day as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" is also a disservice to fans who enjoy both leagues.

If F1's race is indeed scheduled in the same timeslot as the Indianapolis 500, fans may be torn on what race to focus on. Given Formula 1's explosion in popularity in the United States over the past five years, it wouldn't be a surprise if Indy is the party that suffers a loss in viewership from the scheduling decision. 

F1 seems to be trying to sink IndyCar's most important race. This will only fuel the narrative that it sees itself as the unquestioned ruler of the global motorsports landscape. But it's not a good look.