IndyCar to move Toronto race to Markham for 2026 season
- Dan Jones
- 10 minutes ago
- 2 min read
IndyCar's annual visit to the Streets of Toronto will move to downtown Markham for 2026, around a brand new 2.19 mile (3.52 km) street circuit. It will mark the 40th anniversary of IndyCar racing in the Toronto area, as the series has been hosting events at Exhibition Place since 1986.
The circuit has been announced on a five-year deal and will be in the eastern precinct of Markham's downtown, between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, Unionville GO tracks and Highway 407. The 2026 event will take place on August 16th 2026.
According to IndyCar, it will also feature a double-sided pitlane like the one on the Streets of Detroit and on the Streets of Arlington, which will also host Indy cars for the first time in 2026. The circuit was planned by renowned street track designer Tony Cotman and the series also state that it will have "thrilling straightaways and technically challenging sectors."
"We are excited to welcome the exhilarating experience of IndyCar Series racing hitting our streets in 2026," said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “We are proud to welcome this world-class event to our community. I want to thank Green Savoree Toronto, Penske Entertainment Corp., IndyCar Series, the Ontario Honda Dealers Association and the Province of Ontario for their trust in our city. Markham is ready to build on its strong sports legacy and offer a new home where this celebrated summer tradition can thrive. I am extremely proud of our team at the City of Markham for bringing this initiative across the finish line in just a matter of months."
The race in Exhibition Place was already in doubt for 2026 with the Toronto Stadium, that the circuit weaves around, hosting FIFA World Cup matches during July - the usual date when the IndyCar race is hosted. The logistics of hosting the tournament means that building the street course come July next year would be unfeasible.
"We look forward to a long and successful partnership with [Frank Scarpitti], his team at the City of Markham and IndyCar, "Jeff Atkinson, president of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham said. "The inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham will build on the legacy of this great Ontario event, which started in 1986. We look forward to welcoming all our fans, the drivers and race teams out to this terrific new venue in Markham Centre next August."
IndyCar's full 2026 calendar is yet to be released, but it adds to a list of confirmed dates for the 2026 season, which currently are:
March 1st: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
March 15th: Grand Prix of Arlington
March 29th: Grand Prix of Alabama
April 19th: Grand Prix of Long Beach
May 9th: Grand Prix of Indianapolis May 24th: 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500
May 31st: Detroit Grand Prix
August 16th: Grand Prix of Markham
Early suggestions are that further races could be added to the 2026 schedule at Phoenix Raceway, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and on the Streets of Washington D.C.
What is confirmed however, is that IndyCar's will visit the Streets of Markham in 2026 to celebrate 40 years of IndyCar visiting the Greater Toronto area.
