Mexico IndyCar race edges closer as officials visit Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

With NASCAR’s absence from Mexico for the 2026 season all but confirmed, the path is now clear for IndyCar to finalise its own return to Latin American. The American series is now targeting a race in Mexico City next year, but some details of the deal still need to be ironed out. 

IndyCar has cleared the opening part of its 2026 schedule to focus on the southern United States and reduce travel distance ahead of a potential stop in Mexico – something that NASCAR did not do in 2025. 

Roger Penske’s series is set to kick off its 2026 season in St. Petersburg, Florida, before immediately traveling to the new street circuit in Arlington, Texas, around the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium. The Texas race is scheduled 13-15 March. 

From that point, there is a nearly one-month gap before the Long Beach Grand Prix on April 16-18. It is precisely in this window that IndyCar aims to bring the series to Mexico. 

Negotiations are advanced, with IndyCar targeting a race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. However, if IndyCar hopes of aligning any announcement with the release of the full 2026 calendar it will have to move quickly, as the schedule for next season is expected in the coming days. 

Devlin Defrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Photo by: Art Fleischmann

With this in mind, IndyCar officials visited the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City just last week. The series is reportedly working alongside Grupo Rentable on the bid to bring the open-wheel series back to Mexico. 

The series last raced at the site, which also hosts F1 and Formula E, back when IndyCar was divided into IRL and Champ Car – with the latter racing there until 2007.  

One of the key discussion points is which layout to use for the race: the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit, or the NASCAR configuration, which features a significant shortcut after Turn 3. Another factor on the table is the hosting rights fee. 

The event would be led by Grupo Rentable, but CIE-Ocesa – promoters of both the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix and NASCAR’s 2025 visit – could also enter into the picture through a partnership as it holds the concession rights to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Such a collaboration would be a first for the two companies, and would reduce the financial risks compared with NASCAR’s attempt to race in Mexico. 

Grupo Rentable is a company that rents billboard advertising space in Mexico’s main cities, but in recent years it has also organised races in the country’s capital under the name Speed Fest, an event that blends motorsport competitions with concerts featuring high-profile local artists. Through its efforts and connections with Michel Jourdain Jr., significant progress has been made to bring the series back, with negotiations now entering the final stage. 

Should IndyCar secure a race in Mexico, it probably won’t have the same issues with ticket sales as NASCAR faced thanks to the presence of Pato O’Ward. The Arrow McLaren driver is on the verge of finishing runner-up in the series, and the current wave of “Patomania” has created a new generation of fans.