Freedom 250 Grand Prix

For the American Le Mans Series race held in 2002, see 2002 Grand Prix of Washington D.C.

Freedom 250 Grand Prix

Location	Washington, D.C.
Major events	Current: IndyCar Series (2026)
Street Circuit (2026)

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. is an auto race set to be held in August at a street course in Washington, D.C., United States, as part of the 2026 IndyCar Series.

Background

The original 2026 IndyCar Series schedule was released on September 16, ^[1] without a race in Washington, D.C. Rumors began that President Donald Trump wanted to host a race to celebrate America's 250th Birthday. The race was officially announced on January 30, 2026, with President Trump signing an executive order authorizing the race. ^{[2] [3]} The order instructed the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Transportation to design the course layout within 14 days and to "ensure that all permits, approvals, and other authorizations ... are issued and granted as expeditiously as possible." The executive order also instructed the two Secretaries, in coordination with Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser, to "ensure that any roads, trails, or bridges to be used as part of the race course are properly maintained and capable of being used in such a manner." ^[4] The race will be held around the National Mall. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. "INDYCAR Announces 17-Race 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Schedule". IndyCar. September 16, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
2. Kapur, Sahil (January 30, 2026). "Trump orders up IndyCar race on the streets of Washington for 'America250 Grand Prix'". NBC News. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
3. DeGroot, Nick (January 30, 2026). "Donald Trump signs executive order confirming IndyCar race in Washington D.C." Motorsport. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
4. "Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing". The White House. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
5. "Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. Coming in August". IndyCar. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
6. "IndyCar announces Freedom 250 GP of Washington, D.C. as 18th race". RACER. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.