INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey – Laguna Seca 2026

The history of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca begins in November 1957, when a new racing circuit was built on the grounds of the former Army base Fort Ord. The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula had the track constructed with Army support in a dry lakebed, which gave the course its name: Laguna Seca simply means “dry lake” in Spanish. The first race, the 8th Pebble Beach Road Race, took place on November 9, 1957, and was won by Pete Lovely in a Ferrari 500 TR. The name thus connected to a racing series that had already been held through the Del Monte Forest near Pebble Beach since 1950.

The facility remains in the Laguna Seca Recreation Area to this day and has no permanent floodlighting system, which means all races must be completed before nightfall—a distinctive feature that sets the circuit apart from many modern racing facilities. Over the decades, Laguna Seca has served as home to numerous racing series, including Can-Am, Formula 5000, and the IndyCar predecessors of the Indy Racing League. With the awarding of naming rights to sensor manufacturer WeatherTech, the track today officially bears the name WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a contract that secures the commercial development of the historic facility.

The classic racing circuit measures 3.602 kilometers and winds through eleven turns across the rolling landscape of the Monterey Peninsula, with an elevation change of 55 meters shaping the layout. Originally, the track was only about 1.9 miles long before being extended in the late 1970s or early 1980s to the then-FIA minimum length of 2.2 miles. Its signature feature remains the famous Corkscrew, an abruptly descending double apex regarded as one of the most challenging passages in international motorsport.

In recent IndyCar history, Álex Palou has established himself as a defining figure at Laguna Seca. In 2023, he set the track record of 1:08.417 that still stands today, and in 2025 he secured victory in the Grand Prix of Monterey. This consistency underscores how the technically demanding layout rewards drivers with a fine feel for balance and braking points—a circumstance that has always made Laguna Seca one of the most prestigious highlights of the racing season.