Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso clear crucial Le Mans F1 roadblock

The 2027 F1 calendar, unveiled Wednesday, has cleared a major hurdle for active drivers eyeing Le Mans. The 24-hour race runs June 12-13, sitting neatly between Monaco on June 6 and the returning Portuguese GP at Portimao on June 20. No clash means Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso could all potentially race at Circuit de la Sarthe in 2027.

Why it matters:

An active F1 driver hasn't raced at Le Mans since Alonso did so in 2018 while at McLaren. With the calendar now aligned, the possibility of a modern-era star adding the endurance classic to their resume is real. For Alonso, it could be a shot at a third Le Mans win; for Verstappen and Norris, it would be a first taste of the Hypercar class.

The details:

• The 2027 F1 schedule avoids a repeat of 2026, when Le Mans clashed with F1 for the first time since 2016.
• Alonso is the only one of the trio with Le Mans experience, having won for Toyota in 2018 and 2019.
• Norris recently tested McLaren's new Hypercar at Portimao, while Verstappen has long stated his desire to race at Le Mans.
• Qualifying and practice for Le Mans take place during the race week, so there's no overlap with F1 commitments. A rookie orientation test would also be required.

What's next:

While no driver has committed, the roadblock is gone. The same calendar also avoids a clash with the Indy 500, meaning the 'Triple Crown' races are spread across consecutive weekends. However, competing in all three remains impossible due to Indy 500 practice and qualifying conflicting with F1's Canadian GP weekend.