– The month of May has begun on the calendar, and in the IndyCar series, that means one thing above all: Indianapolis! But before the week of practice for the Indy 500 on the Indianapolis oval begins, the race weekend for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the road course in the infield of the oval is first on the schedule. However, the race does not take place on Sunday, but on Saturday (May 9).
Read more Expert demands Verstappen ban: «Must respect the sport»
Since 2014, the Indianapolis Grand Prix has been held annually as a kind of preview of the Indy 500, although the track layout and thus the demands are quite different. In the 2026 IndyCar calendar, the Indianapolis Grand Prix is the sixth of 18 races and the second on a permanent road course.
Mick Schumacher, one of three rookies in the 2026 IndyCar starting field, has not been in last place in the current 2026 IndyCar overall standings since the fifth race of the season (Long Beach). And: With the Indianapolis road course, the rookie from Germany unusually finds a track this weekend that he already knows.
In October 2025, Schumacher completed his first IndyCar test on the 3.9-kilometer Indianapolis road course. Even then, he sat in a car from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL). The successful test was the foundation for the contract for the full 2026 IndyCar season.
Despite crash: Mick masters Long Beach, Palou wins luckily I IndyCar 2026
For RLL, the Indianapolis road course is traditionally a good track. In fact, it has been the track where the team has been most competitive for years. In 17 editions so far (from 2020 to 2023, the Indianapolis road course appeared several times per season on the calendar), the Rahal team has achieved two poles in qualifying and five podiums in races.
By the way: Compared to the Indianapolis road course used by Formula 1 from 2000 to 2007, the layout used by the IndyCar series is basically similar but not identical. After the first four corners, the IndyCars do not use the sweeping curve section directly behind the pits but instead pass through a fast chicane to get onto the back straight.
After the back straight, the corners have been made much smoother than right after Formula 1 left. The biggest difference to the layout used by Formula 1 is the last corner. In the IndyCar layout, the banked turn (Turn 1 of the oval in reverse direction) is completely omitted. Instead, the track goes through the infield back to the start/finish straight.
Schedule IndyCar Indianapolis GP 2026 (CEST)
For local time, six hours must be subtracted.
Friday, May 8
3:05 PM – 4:25 PM: 1st Practice
7:05 PM – 8:25 PM: 2nd Practice
11:35 PM – 1:00 AM: Qualifying
Saturday, May 9
5:40 PM – 6:10 PM: Warm-up
10:57 PM: Race start
Livestream and TV broadcast IndyCar 2026
The TV rights in Germany for the 2026 IndyCar season are split, but the series is not available on free TV: As usual, the pay-TV channel Sky in Germany broadcasts all IndyCar races – again on Sky Sport F1, the channel that primarily covers Formula 1. (IndyCar 2026 on TV and livestream: All details)
Photo gallery: Mick Schumacher’s results in the 2026 IndyCar season
Motorvision is another pay-TV channel that has been broadcasting IndyCar races live since 2025. The coverage is broadcast via Motorvision+ and is available not only in Germany but also in Austria and Switzerland.
There is also a paid offer from IndyCar with livestreams of all sessions on the official website Indycarlive.com. These can also be watched “on demand” at any time.
Friday, May 8
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM: 1st Practice (Sky)
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: 2nd Practice (Sky)
11:30 PM – 1:00 AM: Qualifying (Sky)
Saturday, May 9
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Qualifying replay (Sky)
9:00 PM – 10:30 PM: Qualifying replay (Sky)
10:30 PM – 1:00 AM: Race live (Sky)
10:30 PM – 1:00 AM: Race live (Motorvision+)
Read more «Doesn’t help»: Why Lewis Hamilton no longer wants to test in the simulator
Sunday, May 10
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Race replay (Sky)
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Race replay (Sky)
Starting list IndyCar Indianapolis GP 2026
In the 2026 IndyCar series, 25 drivers from ten different teams are registered. All 25 cars have a so-called charter, which entitles them to start all races but also obliges them to do so. Guest starters in the form of additional entries are still allowed at all races until the end of the 2026 season, from 2027 only at the Indy 500.
All rookies’ cars in the IndyCar series are marked with a yellow marking on the rear so that those behind know they are dealing with an inexperienced driver. (Overview: Mick Schumacher and his 24 opponents in detail)
#2 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske – Chevrolet
#3 – Scott McLaughlin – Team Penske – Chevrolet
#4 – Caio Collet – A.J. Foyt Enterprises – Chevrolet (Rookie)
#5 – Patricio “Pato” O’Ward – Arrow McLaren – Chevrolet
#6 – Nolan Siegel – Arrow McLaren – Chevrolet
#7 – Christian Lundgaard – Arrow McLaren – Chevrolet
#8 – Kyffin Simpson – Chip Ganassi Racing – Honda
#9 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing – Honda
#10 – Alex Palou – Chip Ganassi Racing – Honda
#12 – David Malukas – Team Penske – Chevrolet
#14 – Santino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt Enterprises – Chevrolet
#15 – Graham Rahal – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – Honda
#18 – Romain Grosjean – Dale Coyne Racing – Honda
#19 – Dennis Hauger – Dale Coyne Racing – Honda (Rookie)
#20 – Alexander Rossi – Ed Carpenter Racing – Chevrolet
#21 – Christian Rasmussen – Ed Carpenter Racing – Chevrolet
#26 – Will Power – Andretti Global – Honda
#27 – Kyle Kirkwood – Andretti Global – Honda
#28 – Marcus Ericsson – Andretti Global – Honda
#45 – Louis Foster – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – Honda
#47 – Mick Schumacher – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – Honda (Rookie)
#60 – Felix Rosenqvist – Meyer Shank Racing – Honda
#66 – Marcus Armstrong – Meyer Shank Racing – Honda
#76 – Rinus “VeeKay” van Kalmthout – Juncos Hollinger Racing – Chevrolet
#77 – Sting Ray Robb – Juncos Hollinger Racing – Chevrolet
Data on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Type: permanent road course
Length: 2.439 miles (3.924 kilometers)
Direction: clockwise
Corners: 14
Race title: Sonsio Grand Prix
On the calendar since: 2014
Lap record: 1:07.704 minutes – 129.688 mph (208.668 km/h)
Lap record holder: Will Power (2017)
Most poles: Will Power (6)
Most wins: Will Power (5)
All IndyCar winners in Indianapolis (road course)
2025 (IndyCar): Alex Palou
2024 (IndyCar): Alex Palou
2023 (IndyCar): Alex Palou / Scott Dixon
2022 (IndyCar): Colton Herta / Alexander Rossi
2021 (IndyCar): Rinus VeeKay / Will Power
2020 (IndyCar): Scott Dixon / Josef Newgarden / Will Power
2019 (IndyCar): Simon Pagenaud
2018 (IndyCar): Will Power
2017 (IndyCar): Will Power
2016 (IndyCar): Simon Pagenaud
2015 (IndyCar): Will Power
2014 (IndyCar): Simon Pagenaud
Read more Bastianini is playing poker for his future: «A surprise is possible»
