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2026 is just around the corner, and that means that all of your favorite racing series, from Formula 1 to IndyCar and more, are getting ready to hit the circuit. But when exactly does each series start?
Here are all the key dates for the 2026 racing season so you can block your calendar now.
January 16th - Rolex SailGP Championship
Racing fans, worry not, because the SailGP season is a mere few weeks away. Starting in Perth, Australia, the first sailing grand prix of the year will be on January 16th. With 13 rounds on the calendar, taking place at world-renowned sailing destinations like Guanabara Bay in Rio Brazil, and Georges Island, Halifax for the newly added Canada Sail Grand Prix, 2026 promises to be an exciting year for SailGP participants and fans alike. The calendar has also seen some shifts compared to last year, making it more regionalized and in line with the series’s overall focus on sustainability.
January 21st - IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship
Are you just itching to get back to seeing cars on track and hearing the sounds of engines and wheelguns? If so, you’ll be happy to know that the wait won’t be long because the IMSA Championship is just around the corner. January 16th brings the Daytona Roar Before the 24, then starting from January 21st, you will be able to catch your favorite sports cars in action on the Daytona International Circuit for the Rolex 24. With 11 total rounds on the docket, the IMSA calendar will be running until the Motul Petit Le Mans in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 3rd.
February 12th - NASCAR Cup
Stock car racing will be back in the mix from February 12th, with NASCAR’s Duel at Daytona as we set the stage for the Daytona 500 three days later, on February 15th. The year is looking set to be another one packed action at various ovals, road courses, and superspeedways, keeping us all watching until the grand finale, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, on November 6th. And if the season finishes anything like the show Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson gave us, then we’re in for a treat.
March 1st - NTT IndyCar Series
Racing fans can look forward to another exciting year of IndyCar in 2026, and it all begins on March 1st with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The series announced a packed calendar that will take the IndyCar paddock across 17 different tracks, ending in the Grand Prix of Monterey at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California. The only question now is whether Alex Palou will let up enough for someone else to take his championship title.
March 8th - Formula 1
2026 is going to be a big year for F1, with an entirely new set of regulations coming into effect, an 11th team–Cadillac–joining the grid, and some major changes as Audi and Ford power units enter the field.
Two pre-season testing will be held prior to the official start of the season: the first will be at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on January 26th to the 30th, and the second at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 11th to the 13th.
The 2026 F1 season will have 24 total grands prix, kicking off on March 6th, with the Australia Grand Prix, alongside Formula 2 and Formula 3. F1 Academy will have its first 2026 race weekend the following week, starting from March 13th, at the Shanghai Circuit in China.
March 22nd - World Endurance Racing
Endurance fans won’t be left waiting for long, because the official prologue of the 2026 World Endurance Racing season is set to take place on March 22nd and 23rd, in Qatar. This will be followed by the first race of the year just a few days later, on March 28th, also in Qatar. The field will look a bit different this time around, without Porsche Penske among the challengers. And whether Ferrari will be able to defend their 2025 title will be decided across eight rounds, with the finale set to take place in Bahrain in early November.
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