Motorsports Christmas will lose one of its prestigious events as part of a major Formula One deal. The Monaco Grand Prix will move to a different date.
What is Motorsports Christmas? It has traditionally been an action-packed day of racing at the end of May. The schedule begins -- for United States-based viewers -- with the Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most important events on the F1 schedule.
The day continues with the Indianapolis 500, the biggest race on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule. Motorsports Christmas closes with the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
This schedule undergoes a shakeup as part of a Thursday announcement. Formula One signed a six-year extension of its deal with the Automobile Club of Monaco (ACM). This ensures that the Monaco Grand Prix will continue to take place annually through 2031.
This season's Monaco Grand Prix weekend had 70 million viewers.
The race will shift from May to the first full weekend in June, starting with the 2026 event. Next year's Monaco Grand Prix will remain on May 23-25, so racing fans will get to experience Motorsports Christmas one final time.
"I'm delighted that Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until 2031," said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali in a statement. "The streets of Monte Carlo are unique and a famous part of Formula 1, and the Monaco Grand Prix remains a race that all drivers dream of winning.
"I would like to extend a special thanks to H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club of Monaco and everyone involved in the extension of this important partnership.
"This agreement signals a new era of partnership and innovation between Formula 1 and Monaco. It is the future-focused leadership of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco which will allow us to create an optimized calendar, which reduces pressure on logistics, and to decrease the environmental impact of our global Championship, as we continue the path towards our Net Zero goal by 2030."