IndyCar drops bid for Mexico City race in 2026

• Pato O’Ward “motivated to carry this effort forward” for a future race
• Mexico is co-hosting Fifa World Cup alongside US and Canada 

IndyCar will not visit Mexico City in 2026 after significant logistical complications arose due to next summer’s Fifa World Cup.

Until recently, all signs pointed to a long-awaited return to Mexico City in 2026, with IndyCar president J Douglas Boles telling BlackBook Motorsport in June that he was hopeful the event would soon be confirmed.

At the time, sources said negotiations had hit a bump in the road but the race was still expected to slot in after Laguna Seca in July. That obstacle, however, has since proved far more substantial than first anticipated.

“For more than a year, we have been working diligently to bring the NTT IndyCar Series to Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez,” said Mark Miles, president and chief executive of Penske Entertainment.

“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.

“While we absolutely want to race in Mexico, we also want to ensure everyone involved feels the conditions are in place to plan a world-class and highly engaging race weekend. We will keep working to bring our racing to Mexico and hope for an event to be on the schedule as soon as the right opportunity presents itself.”

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Mexican driver Pato O’Ward, who has been a big supporter of establishing a race in his home country, also offered his thoughts on the outcome.

“No one wants a race in Mexico more than me,” he said. “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. I’m motivated to carry this effort forward and take part in a future race in my home country.”

BlackBook says…

IndyCar executives will be greatly disappointed at failing to secure this event for next season. The series clearly believed the deal was virtually complete, given how openly it discussed the plans both publicly and behind the scenes.

With Nascar also unable to stage a race in Mexico in 2026, the stage seemed set for IndyCar to establish a foothold in the country without competition from its North American rival. Instead, it feels like a missed opportunity.

Although the logistical challenges from the World Cup that prevented the race were ultimately beyond IndyCar’s control, the episode highlights the risks of premature confirmation. It means Mexican fans will now have to wait until at least 2027 to see home favourite O’Ward race on home soil – a prospect IndyCar is likely already working towards.