A Stunning Change for the Monaco Grand PrixTM: A New Date for Leclerc to Do Battle in 2026

Clear your weekends, the 2026 Formula 1TM calendar is here with one major change for Monaco. With 24 races lined up across the globe, a reshuffled schedule and a few surprises, next season promises drama, speed, and plenty of strategy, both on the track and in your diary.

Get ready to set your alarms: the engines roar to life in Melbourne, Australia, from March 6 to 8, kicking off the season with sunshine and high-stakes action. From there, the F1TM circus heads straight to Asia with stops in Shanghai and the legendary figure-eight track of Suzuka, Japan, a drivers’ favourite and a precision challenge.

Behind the new calendar is a serious logistical mission: to cluster races by region, minimizing jet-lag, fuel consumption, and freight emissions. April sees the paddock descend on the Middle East — with back-to-back weekends in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia — before heading west to North America in May.

One clash to note: Montréal’s Grand Prix now coincides with the Indy 500. A rare scheduling head-to-head that’s sure to divide hardcore motorsport fans. And here’s the headline grabber, Monaco’s iconic race moves to June running June 5–7 as the glittering kickoff to the European leg. Tennis and Grand PrixTM fans are going to be stretched between Monaco and the French Open finals in Paris!

From Monaco and then Barcelona in mid-June to Baku in late September, the heart of the season is firmly rooted in Europe. The cars will tear through the Austrian Alps, thunder across Silverstone, and take on the old-school curves of Spa-Francorchamps. This year’s big newcomer? Madrid, joining the calendar with a brand-new street circuit that replaces the historic Imola, which will sit out the season.

Fans, be warned: some weekends may test your loyalty. Barcelona lands on the same dates as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Hope you’ve got a split screen ready.

Come October, the championship battle will reach a boiling point. First stop: Singapore, before launching into a triple-header through the Americas — Austin, Mexico City, and São Paulo. Then it’s showtime under the neon lights of Las Vegas, wrapping up under the Abu Dhabi sunset on December 4–6.

March
1. Australia – Melbourne (6–8)
2. China – Shanghai (13–15)
3. Japan – Suzuka (27–29)

April
4. Bahrain – Sakhir (10–12)
5. Saudi Arabia – Jeddah (17–19)

May
6. USA – Miami (1–3)
7. Canada – Montréal (22–24)

June & July
8. Monaco (5–7)
9. Spain – Barcelona (12–14)
10. Austria – Spielberg (26–28)
11. UK – Silverstone (July 3–5)
12. Belgium – Spa-Francorchamps (July 17–19)
13. Hungary – Budapest (July 24–26)

August & September
14. Netherlands – Zandvoort (Aug 21–23)
15. Italy – Monza (Sept 4–6)
16. Spain – Madrid (Sept 11–13)
17. Azerbaijan – Baku (Sept 25–26)

October to December
18. Singapore (Oct 9–11)
19. USA – Austin (Oct 23–25)
20. Mexico – Mexico City (Oct 30 – Nov 1)
21. Brazil – São Paulo (Nov 6–8)
22. USA – Las Vegas (Nov 19–21)
23. Qatar – Lusail (Nov 27–29)
24. UAE – Abu Dhabi (Dec 4–6)

So, where will the 2026 title be won? On the streets of Monaco or the rain-soaked curves of Spa? The blazing streets of Singapore perhaps? Or under the desert lights of Abu Dhabi? Only time will tell. But one thing is already guaranteed: all eyes will be on Monaco in June, as the world’s most iconic street circuit takes on a new slot in the calendar, and perhaps even greater significance. For home hero Charles Leclerc, it’s another golden opportunity to write history on familiar streets at the peak of summer. Already having won his first Monaco Grand PrixTM, a second triumph would make him the first to climb the pinnacle twice. If ever there were a time for the young ace to chase glory in the Principality, 2026 might just be it.