- The last 1000cc season: 22 rounds, 11 teams, 22 riders – with the return of the Brazilian GP after 21 years
- Pedro Acosta leads the championship after the season opener in Thailand, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and Raúl Fernández
- Marc Márquez enters as defending champion but is still recovering from his Indonesia crash injuries
- Yamaha switches to a V4 engine for the first time in the MotoGP era – Toprak Razgatlıoğlu joins from WorldSBK
- The 2027 rider market is causing unrest: almost all contracts expire at the end of 2026
The 2026 MotoGP season is the last under the current 1000cc regulations. From 2027, new rules with 850cc engines and Pirelli instead of Michelin as tyre supplier will apply. This makes the current season a turning point: riders are not only fighting for the championship title, but also for their position in the major reshuffle that accompanies the new era.
This page is your central hub for everything about MotoGP 2026: current championship standings, the complete race calendar, all teams and riders at a glance, analyses of the competitive order, and links to our detailed individual reports. This page is updated after every race weekend.
Teams and Riders 2026
Eleven teams with 22 full-time riders make up the 2026 MotoGP field. Ducati fields the largest contingent with three customer teams, followed by KTM, Aprilia, Yamaha and Honda with two teams each.
| Team | Rider 1 | Rider 2 | Motorcycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducati Lenovo Team | Marc Márquez (#93) | Francesco Bagnaia (#1) | Desmosedici GP25 |
| BK8 Gresini Racing | Álex Márquez (#73) | Fermín Aldeguer (#54)* | Desmosedici GP24 |
| VR46 Racing Team | Fabio Di Giannantonio (#49) | Franco Morbidelli (#21) | Desmosedici GP25 |
| Aprilia Racing | Jorge Martín (#89) | Marco Bezzecchi (#72) | RS-GP 25 |
| Trackhouse MotoGP | Raúl Fernández (#25) | Ai Ogura (#79) | RS-GP 25 |
| Red Bull KTM Factory | Pedro Acosta (#31) | Brad Binder (#33) | RC16 |
| Red Bull KTM Tech3 | Maverick Viñales (#12) | Enea Bastianini (#23) | RC16 |
| Monster Yamaha MotoGP | Fabio Quartararo (#20) | Álex Rins (#42) | YZR-M1 (V4) |
| Pramac Yamaha MotoGP | Toprak Razgatlıoğlu | Jack Miller (#43) | YZR-M1 (V4) |
| Honda HRC Castrol | Joan Mir (#36) | Luca Marini (#10) | RC213V |
| Castrol Honda LCR | Johann Zarco (#5) | Diogo Moreira (#88) | RC213V |
* Aldeguer suffered a fractured femur during training. Michele Pirro substituted at the Thai GP.
Marc Márquez enters as defending champion. The Spaniard dominated 2025 after switching to the Ducati factory team, clinching his seventh MotoGP title five rounds before the season finale. However, he is still dealing with the aftermath of his heavy crash in Indonesia: shoulder and chest muscles are not fully recovered.
Pedro Acosta surprisingly leads the championship after round 1. The KTM youngster won the sprint in Thailand and finished second in the race. Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martín form a strong duo at Aprilia. Yamaha is under scrutiny with the new V4 engine. Honda shows cautious progress.
→ MotoGP 2026: Ducati Preparation and Aldeguer’s Training Crash
→ MotoGP 2027: Márquez Hesitates at Ducati, Bagnaia to Aprilia?
Current Championship Standings after Round 1 (Thailand GP)
Pedro Acosta leads the world championship after the season opener at Buriram. Marco Bezzecchi trails by seven points after his race victory. Defending champion Marc Márquez is already 28 points off the lead after a tyre failure.
| Pos | Rider | Team / Manufacturer | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM | 37 |
| 2 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing | 30 |
| 3 | Raúl Fernández | Trackhouse Aprilia | 27 |
| 4 | Jorge Martín | Aprilia Racing | 18 |
| 5 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse Aprilia | 17 |
| 6 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM | 14 |
| 7 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | VR46 Ducati | 13 |
| 8 | Marc Márquez | Ducati Lenovo | 9 |
| 9 | Joan Mir | Honda HRC | 9 |
| 10 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo | 7 |
Standings after the Thailand GP (01.03.2026). Sprint + race combined.
→ Thailand GP Sprint: Acosta Wins, Márquez Penalised
→ Thailand GP Race: Bezzecchi Dominates, Márquez Retires
→ Marc Márquez: On the Road to Victory #100
Race Calendar 2026
The 2026 MotoGP season comprises 22 rounds. Highlight: The return of the Brazilian GP at Goiânia after a 21-year absence. The Qatar GP is in doubt due to the Middle East conflict.
| Rd | Date | Grand Prix | Circuit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 27 – Mar 1 | Thai GP | Buriram | ✓ Bezzecchi |
| 2 | Mar 20–22 | Brazilian GP | Goiânia | – |
| 3 | Mar 27–29 | Americas GP | Austin | – |
| 4 | Apr 10–12 | Qatar GP | Losail | ⚠️ uncertain |
| 5 | Apr 24–26 | Spanish GP | Jerez | – |
| 6 | May 8–10 | French GP | Le Mans | – |
| 7 | May 15–17 | Catalan GP | Barcelona | – |
| 8 | May 29–31 | Italian GP | Mugello | – |
| 9 | Jun 5–7 | Hungarian GP | Balaton Park | – |
| 10 | Jun 19–21 | Czech GP | Brno | – |
| 11 | Jun 26–28 | Dutch GP | Assen | – |
| 12 | Jul 11–13 | German GP | Sachsenring | – |
| 13 | Jul 25–27 | British GP | Silverstone | – |
| 14 | Aug 8–10 | Aragon GP | MotorLand | – |
| 15 | Aug 22–24 | Austrian GP | Red Bull Ring | – |
| 16 | Sep 12–14 | San Marino GP | Misano | – |
| 17 | Sep 19–21 | Japanese GP | Motegi | – |
| 18 | Oct 3–5 | Indonesian GP | Mandalika | – |
| 19 | Oct 17–19 | Australian GP | Adelaide* | – |
| 20 | Oct 24–26 | Malaysian GP | Sepang | – |
| 21 | Nov 7–9 | Portuguese GP | Portimão | – |
| 22 | Nov 20–22 | Valencia GP | Valencia | – |
* Australia moves from Phillip Island to Adelaide (street circuit) in 2027.
→ Qatar GP in Doubt: Ezpeleta Acknowledges Problems
→ MotoGP 2026: Premium Strategy, Qatar Cancellation and Open Rider Market
Pre-Season: Tests at Sepang and Buriram
During the Sepang Shakedown (Jan 28–30) Honda surprised with fastest times on all three days. At the Official Sepang Test (Feb 3–5) Márquez returned from injury with the fastest lap. At the Buriram Test (Feb 21–22) Bezzecchi set the pace. Less than one second separated the top 13.
→ Sepang Shakedown Day 1 · Day 2 · Day 3
→ Test Summary · Yamaha V4 Crisis
Technical Regulations 2026
Engines frozen – exception for Honda and Yamaha (Concession Rank D). Ducati runs the 2024 engine. Yamaha V4: Historic switch from inline-four. New FIM helmet rule: Chaos at the season opener. Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup: New support series at MotoGP events.
→ New FIM Helmet Rule: Chaos at Season Opener
Outlook: What’s Coming in 2027?
From 2027: 850cc engines and Pirelli tyres. Almost all rider contracts expire at the end of 2026. Márquez is negotiating with Ducati, Bagnaia is linked to Aprilia, Quartararo could move to Honda. Pedro Acosta is the most sought-after free agent.
→ Márquez Hesitates, Bagnaia to Aprilia?
→ New Manufacturers from 2027
→ The Last 1000cc Season · Upheaval at the End of the 1000cc Era
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