After a crazy IndyCar season in 2024, there’s a lot to look forward to this year as IndyCar switches to Fox TV coverage and adds a new race (Thermal Club) - and there are a lot of drivers with their eyes on toppling now three-time champion Alex Palou.
Still the only single-seater series that visits road courses, street circuits and ovals, the calendar is relatively well-balanced at four street events, seven road courses and six oval rounds, including the Indy 500 where Josef Newgarden could make it three wins in a row, which nobody has done before.
When is the next race?
St Petersburg - March 2
The St Petersburg event near Tampa, Florida has gone from strength to strength in recent years and established itself as the rightful home of the start of the IndyCar season. Stunning weather (even in March!), beach coastlines and a Salvador Dali museum make this a must visit race.
The full schedule
St Petersburg - March 2 - street circuit
Thermal Club - March 23 - road course
Long Beach - April 13 - street circuit
Barber - May 4 - road course
Indianapolis road course - May 10 - road course
Indianapolis 500 - May 25 - oval
Detroit - June 1 - street circuit
Gateway - June 15 - oval
Road America - June 22 - road course
Mid-Ohio - July 6 - road course
Iowa - July 12/13 - oval
Toronto - July 20 - street circuit
Laguna Seca - July 27 - road course
Portland - August 10 - road course
Milwaukee Mile - August 24 - oval
Nashville - August 31 - oval
The Indy 500 schedule
The world's highest attendance single-day sporting event takes place on May 25, but there's plenty more to this blue-riband calendar topper than the race itself.
Here are the dates to bookmark:
May 13-15 - practice
May 16 - Fast Friday (practice with qualifying boost)
May 17 - qualifying (places 13-30 decided)
May 18 - Pole shootout (pole decided along with places 2-12), 'Bump Day' (places 31-33 decided along with who misses the race)
May 19 - short practice
May 23 - 'Carb Day' (final practice)
May 24 - 'Legends Day' (ceremonial day, featuring televised drivers' meeting)
May 25 - Indy 500 race day
