Bobby Travis · NASCAR/IndyCar-Korrespondent
After nearly 40 years in Toronto, the Canadian street course relocates, while Alex Palou chases his fourth consecutive Astor Cup title.
For the first time in series history, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES won't be turning through downtown Toronto—it's heading to the streets of Markham, Ontario. The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham is round 14 of 18 on the 2026 calendar, and with the FIFA World Cup 2026 claiming the old Exhibition Place venue, the series has built an entirely fresh 3.52-kilometer circuit with twelve corners and a two-lane pit lane from scratch. For every driver in the field, that means no baseline data, no old setup notes, just simulator work and free practice on Friday to get a first feel for the new layout.
Starting from Zero
Friday, August 14th, is Fan Friday with free admission (suggested donation to Make-A-Wish Canada), and between 10 and 11:30 a.m. local time, the field will turn its first laps on this new asphalt. At 12:30 p.m., an autograph session takes place at the Markham Pan Am Centre, then it's time to digest what they've learned.
Saturday brings the second practice session from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by qualifying and the Firestone Fast 6 for the NTT P1 Award between 2:30 and 4 p.m., setting Sunday's grid. Sunday morning includes a warm-up from 9 to 9:30 a.m., then at noon (12:22 p.m. local time) the green flag drops, live on FOX in the U.S. and TSN in Canada. Over 90 laps and 197.1 miles, we'll discover who translates simulator data into the quickest real-world pace. Support from the NASCAR Canada Series and USF Pro 2000 rounds out the weekend.
Palou on Course for History, Intense Battle Behind
The championship picture couldn't be clearer. Alex Palou arrives in Markham with 510 points and six season wins, fresh off success in Portland, chasing his fourth consecutive Astor Cup title and fifth overall, again driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. His lead over second place is a commanding 110 points, a margin where a single weekend barely shifts the overall picture.
The intrigue lies further back. Kyle Kirkwood holds second with 400 points for Andretti Global, but David Malukas in the Team Penske Chevrolet sits just eight points behind in third, and Christian Lundgaard in the Arrow McLaren car is within striking distance at 375 points. Three drivers, three teams, one battle for the runner-up crown that could be thoroughly reshuffled on a track nobody knows. Lurking behind them are Pato O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, and Josef Newgarden, each with realistic opportunities to move forward if anyone up front stumbles.
Honda at Home, Rookies on Level Ground
For Honda, Markham is more than just another race. The event carries the Honda Dealers name, the track sits near Honda Canada's national headquarters, and the manufacturer arrives off a 1-2-3 podium sweep in Portland with a solid advantage in the manufacturer's standings over Chevrolet. A strong weekend in front of their own crowd would be the perfect continuation of that momentum.
In the Rookie of the Year race, Dennis Hauger leads Caio Collet and Mick Schumacher, a trio that can measure itself on a track unknown to all of them under equivalent conditions, without any advantage from prior track familiarity. How the new Markham circuit shapes the rest of the season, which setups prove quickest, and whether Palou's championship lead keeps growing by Sunday or the field behind him reshuffles, that's a question only answered when the green flag actually drops Sunday afternoon.
