After the opening rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict, Formula Two has reshuffled its 2026 calendar—and honestly, it’s a pretty bold move.
Instead of leaving a huge gap at the start of the season, Formula Two has decided to take things in a completely different direction. The championship will now head to North America, with Miami hosting round two on May 1-3, followed by Montreal for round three on May 22–24. From there, things fall back into place as Monaco kicks off the traditional European leg of the season.
On paper, it fixes a scheduling problem. In reality, it’s much bigger than that. It marks a major shift—not just logistically, but in what Formula Two is trying to be. For the first time, the series will race in North America, making this decision more than just a replacement for cancelled rounds. It’s an expansion—and a pretty significant one at that.
Image Credit: Formula One
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem made it clear that the priority was keeping the championship stable and competitive despite the early disruption. At the same time, there’s a clear long-term play: growing the series globally and strengthening its connection with Formula One. Bringing Formula Two to the United States and Canada puts it in front of a completely new audience, especially on Formula One weekends, where the spotlight is already massive.
From a fan perspective, it’s hard to argue with the decision. A long break at the start of the season would’ve killed a lot of momentum before things even got going. Instead, we’re getting back-to-back race weekends in two high-profile locations. That’s a much better outcome than waiting around for weeks with nothing happening. Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali expressed his support for this, stressing how important it is to avoid a dead period in the calendar. He further highlighted the amount of work that went into making this happen so quickly—and that really shouldn’t be overlooked. Rearranging a global racing series mid-season is far from simple when you’re dealing with logistics, freight, team schedules, promoters, and a whole list of moving parts. The fact that Miami and Montreal were slotted in this fast is genuinely impressive.
Bruno Michel was pretty honest about this as well. He admitted it wasn’t easy, but also pointed out that this is something Formula Two has been pushing toward for a while. Getting onto the North American stage has always been part of the bigger picture, and now, thanks to unexpected circumstances, it’s happening sooner than planned. From a racing point of view, this could actually shake things up in a good way.
Miami and Montreal present completely different challenges. Miami is still relatively new, a street-style circuit with tight sections, long straights, and not a lot of room for error. Montreal, by contrast, is a classic: fast, technical, and known for its heavy braking zones and unpredictable moments. For a grid full of young drivers still developing their racecraft, throwing them into two unfamiliar tracks this early in the season adds another layer of unpredictability.
And because both rounds take place on Formula One weekends, the pressure is automatically higher. Bigger crowds, more media attention, and a much larger stage overall—exactly the kind of environment Formula Two is designed for, preparing drivers for the jump to Formula One. In that sense, this change might actually accelerate the development of some of the grid. Alongside this, it also means that the early part of the championship could look very different from what teams originally expected. Usually, the opening rounds help establish a pecking order, but with new circuits and limited data, there’s now more room for surprises. Teams that adapt quickly could gain an early advantage, while others might find themselves playing catch-up sooner than planned.
There is, however, a knock-on effect beyond Formula Two itself. With the updated schedule, it looks like Colton Herta’s plan to run the Indianapolis 500 in a fourth Andretti Global entry is off the table. The timing just doesn’t work anymore, and with commitments clashing, something had to give. It’s a disappointing outcome, especially given the hype surrounding that potential entry, but it’s one of those unavoidable consequences when calendars start shifting.
Still, zooming out, this move feels like a net positive overall. It’s not the start to the season anyone expected—losing Bahrain and Saudi Arabia was significant, and there’s no ignoring the circumstances behind that. But instead of letting that disruption stall the championship, Formula Two has responded in a way that could actually benefit its long-term growth.
New tracks, new audiences, and a fresh challenge for the drivers—it’s not a bad way to reset things. There’s no doubt that the 2026 season has taken an unexpected turn, but Formula Two heading to Miami and Montreal? That’s a pretty strong way to bounce back.
Feature Image Credit: FIA
Edited by Reo Lane.
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