Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will not feature on the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series calendar, the series confirmed Saturday (Sept. 13).
Despite longstanding efforts to secure a spot for the track on the 2026 schedule, conflicts with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be contested across the United States, Mexico and Canada, ultimately stood in the way of an agreement between the series and the venue.
“For more than a year, we have been working diligently to bring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said.
“While extensive progress was made alongside the venue’s operating group and our potential promoter, ultimately the significant impact of next year’s World Cup proved too challenging to ensure a successful event given the available summer dates.”
Miles added that IndyCar remains committed to racing in Mexico once the right opportunity arises.
Pato O’Ward, a Mexican native widely regarded as the sport’s most popular driver, echoed the sentiment. “No one wants a race in Mexico more than me. But we want to create an incredible event that is built to last. That requires the right date and the right year for fans and sponsors to fully get behind our sport.”
O’Ward emphasized his ongoing support for bringing IndyCar back to his home country.
IndyCar last competed in Mexico in 2007 when Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez hosted the penultimate round of the Champ Car World Series season. Fundidora Park, in Monterrey, Mexico, also previously hosted Champ Car competition as an early-season street course round.
IndyCar’s schedule for the 2026 season has yet to be released.
Alex is the IndyCar Content Director at Frontstretch, having initially joined as an entry-level contributor in 2021. He also serves as Managing Director of The Asia Cable, a publication focused on the international affairs and politics of the Asia-Pacific region which he co-founded in 2023. With previous experience in China, Japan and Poland, Alex is particularly passionate about the international realm of motorsport and the politics that make the wheels turn - literally - behind the scenes.
IndyCar decided a few years ago to end their season yearly before the NFL starts, to avoid poor attendance and bad TV ratings. Maybe they should rethink this and schedule a race in Mexico for early September? I don’t know how much, or even if their ratings actually suffer once football season starts, but a September Mexico race would likely have a large Mexican and Central American TV audience and a sold out Central American crowd. I can’t see how extending the season some and adding a race in an area not dominated by football would be anything but positive for the series.
More so than Mexico, I think IndyCar needs to find someplace to race in the Northeast and/or Mid-Atlantic. Roughly 35-40 percent of the US population lives in these two regions, and yet IndyCar has no presence. I’m not a big fan of street courses, and Pocono’s no place for IndyCar’s (it’s barely fit for Cup), but there has to be someplace they could race. I miss IndyCars at Nazareth and The Glen! I don’t think Dover or New Hampshire are ideal, but why not go back to The Glen or try VIR. NJ Motorsports park might work if the track added some stands and a few more amenities, or maybe Richmond? IndyCar needs to figure out a way to reach this large unserved area of the country.