IndyCar announces 2025 calendar, FTA-focused US TV deal

In another big change, The Thermal Club will host a points-paying race, having debuted in 2023 as a test track and 2024 as a prize money-only race this year.

However, the number of points-paying races is unchanged relative to 2024 at a total of 17, with the Milwaukee event being a single-race affair next year after returning to IndyCar with a double-header this August/September.

The first six events of the season are the same as in 2024, beginning with St Petersburg on the weekend of Sunday, March 2 and featuring the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25.

After leaving Detroit on June 1, there is some shuffling of events, although Nashville Superspeedway will again host the finale, on the earlier date of Sunday, August 31.

After five years exclusively on NBC’s suite of channels and the Peacock streaming service, the series shifts to Fox.

Every race plus Indy 500 qualifying weekend will be shown on the free-to-air Fox channel in the United States, making for a record 19 broadcast windows for IndyCar.

It also marks IndyCar as the only major American series to have all of its races shown on free-to-air (‘network television’), with practice and qualifying, plus Indy NXT races, spread across pay TV channels Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2.

The deal comes after Fox lost a big chunk of its NASCAR rights, including the Charlotte 600 which takes place on the same day as the Indy 500, under the stock car category’s new media deal which also takes effect next year.

Stan Sport is the current home of IndyCar in Australia and there is no word yet on international media deals going forward.

There is also no word yet regarding on-air talent, although NBC is expected to move play-by-play caller Leigh Diffey to NASCAR after next month’s Olympic Games, indicating he would stay with the ‘peacock network’ where he already has several other roles beyond motorsport.

Adam Alexander is a potential replacement given he calls the Xfinity Series races which Fox Sports will no longer screen from 2025.

IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said of the Fox deal, “This represents unrivaled exposure and provides an unparalleled growth opportunity for the most competitive and entertaining motorsport on the planet.

“Fox Sports is a fully committed partner, ready to bring engaging and technically innovative coverage to millions of fans across the country while also promoting IndyCar thoroughly across all its platforms.”

Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks said, “Adding the iconic Indianapolis 500 and delivering the entire NTT IndyCar Series to the Fox Sports roster fits perfectly within our model of teaming with sports’ largest events and best-in-class brands.

“We’re honoured to be the new broadcast home to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ an incredibly special event to everyone at Fox Sports.”

The value of the new television deal has not been disclosed, although reports estimated an uplift of around 50 percent on what is said to be a current contract worth USD 20 million per year.

The 2024 IndyCar Series continues next weekend (June 21-23, local time) at Laguna Seca.

IndyCar Series 2025 calendar

(All races are points-paying events; all event weekends include NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone races unless otherwise noted.)

* — No INDY NXT by Firestone race
^ — INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader May 9-10
+ — INDY NXT by Firestone doubleheader July 26-27