F1 Rumor: Liberty Media eyes a 4th F1 USA race in Chicago (3rd Update)

Organizers of the planned Chicago Grand Prix want to prioritize racing over “show.”

Sources reveal that the planned Chicago Grand Prix will be “European-esque” and it will combine elements of loved European tracks into the planned Street Track.

The track will go around Soldier Field stadium and consist of a general mix of low, medium and high speed corners, even though the organizers aim to prioritize the medium speed ones to optimize overtaking opportunities.

The organizers are said to want to prioritize racing and speed before show, to balance out how races like Vegas and Miami are flashy. Source: Fastest Pitstop

Related Article: AutoRacing1.com Proposed F1 track in Chicago

Twitter User Fastest Pitstop reports, “Sources reveal there are extensive plans to hold an F1 race in the Windy City.

The event may be named either the “North American Grand Prix” or the “Chicago Festival Grand Prix”, as the trademark application for the “Chicago Grand Prix” name will likely be rejected.

 Race looks to be targeted for late April-Mid June to coincide with ideal weather and the right fit in the calendar, preferably before or after Canada.

Related Article: The best location for a F1 track in Chicago

If there is a Chicago Grand Prix, it won’t happen until 2025 at the absolute earliest, but more likely 2026.

While there’s no official word on a Chicago Grand Prix, the Austin U.S. grand prix, Miami GP and Las Vegas GP did become realities shortly after their names were trademarked.

The F1 calendar can have no more than 25 races per year according to the Concorde Agreement.  However, a new Concorde Agreement will come into effect in 2026.

Here is a list of current F1 races and when their hosting contract expires.  As you can see from this list, with the addition of the Spanish GP in Madrid, F1 would be at the 25-race maximum, so one would have to drop to make room for Chicago.

Liberty Media has registered the trademark “Formula 1 Grand Prix Of Chicago” and rumor has it that they are eyeing a 4th race in the USA.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Long Beach showed some interest but never submitted a formal proposal, so Liberty Media figured they were not interested and started looking elsewhere.

They looked at NY City but found no suitable location.

After seeing the success of the NASCAR street race in Chicago, Liberty Media must have figured they can go one better in the Windy City.

There were actually 4 trademark names filed for:

• Grand Prix of Chicago
• Formula 1 Grand Prix of Chicago
• Chicago Grand Prix
• Formula 1 Chicago Grand Prix

We shall see if this leads to a 4th F1 race in the USA.

F1 seems to be eying more street races. The Las Vegas Grand Prix added another street circuit to the schedule last November, and news came this past week that starting in 2026 F1 will see a street race in Madrid.

So perhaps Chicago could be next …

We expect the race, if it happens, would be an afternoon race, but a night race would not be out of the question.