F2 calendar change forces Colton Herta to miss 2026 Indy 500

A reshuffled Formula 2 calendar for 2026 has created a direct date clash with the Indianapolis 500, forcing American driver Colton Herta to abandon plans to compete in the iconic race. The FIA moved F2 rounds to support the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix in May, with the Montreal event now directly conflicting with the 500-mile oval classic. This logistical impossibility means Herta, a seven-time Indy 500 starter, will prioritize his F2 duties with Hitech over a potential return with Andretti.

Why it matters:

The schedule clash highlights the growing complexity of the global motorsport calendar and presents a significant setback for one of America's top open-wheel talents. For Herta, it closes a valuable opportunity to maintain his oval racing pedigree and profile in the U.S. market while competing in the F1 feeder series. For the Indy 500, it means the absence of a popular American contender with proven speed at the Brickyard.

The details:

• The calendar change was triggered by the cancellation of F1 and F2 rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the ongoing Iran War, creating gaps the FIA needed to fill.
• The new F2 round in Montreal on the Canadian GP weekend (May 22-24) now directly overlaps with the 2026 Indy 500, which is scheduled for Sunday, May 24.
• In an attempt to partially alleviate the conflict, the Indy 500 start time has been moved forward to 10:00 AM ET, but the race's duration of approximately 3.5 hours makes a same-day transcontinental commute to Montreal for the F2 feature race logistically unfeasible.
• Herta had been exploring a drive with his former team, Andretti Global, under the initial assumption that the F2 season would not begin until the Monaco GP in early June.

What's next:

Herta's focus will now be entirely on his 2026 F2 championship campaign with Hitech, a critical season for his aspirations of eventually reaching Formula 1. The incident may prompt discussions between series organizers to avoid high-profile clashes for drivers competing in multiple championships, though such conflicts remain a persistent challenge in a packed international schedule. For now, Herta's next attempt at the Indy 500 will have to wait until his calendar allows.