Monaco set to avoid Indy 500 clash after contract extension

The Monaco Grand Prix will remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2031 and is set to avoid a clash with the Indianapolis 500 following a date change. The iconic race was about to enter the final year of its contract in 2025, and has been involved in discussions with F1 about the way it should evolve in recent years. Those talks have led to its schedule matching with the standard Friday-Sunday of track action from its previous weekend program of practice on a Thursday, and the latest extension comes with a move from its late May slot in the calendar. Announcing the deal being extended by six years until 2031 inclusive, F1 says the race will be held on the first full weekend of June each year, starting from 2026. That opens the door to a possible pairing of Miami and Canada in the schedule for logistical and sustainability purposes, in turn avoiding a clash with the Indy 500. “I’m delighted that Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until 2031,” F1 president and 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 optimized 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.” Next year’s race will still be held the weekend of May 23-25 as the 2025 calendar has already been approved, and Boeri says the grand prix remains central event for the principality. “I would particularly like to thank H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Stefano Domenicali, and everyone involved in the extension of this contract,” Boeri said. “The signing of this new agreement with the Formula One Group until 2031 not only confirms the strength of our relationship but reaffirms our commitment to offering all visitors an unrivaled, first-class experience at race weekends. “The Monaco Grand Prix is the most important sporting event here and continues to attract hundreds of thousands of spectators to the principality and millions of global television viewers worldwide.”