MotoGP 2026 Season: The Complete Overview – Teams, Riders, Calendar & Standings

• The last 1000cc season: 22 rounds, 11 teams, 22 riders – with the return of the Brazilian GP after 21 years
• French GP at Le Mans: Martín celebrates double victory (Sprint + Race) and makes history with Aprilia’s first-ever 1-2-3 on Sunday. Bezzecchi’s championship lead shrinks to just one point (128:127). Marc Márquez misses Le Mans and Barcelona after highsider injury (metatarsal fracture) – comeback planned at the Italian GP in Mugello
• Catalan GP in Barcelona (Round 6): Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) wins the twice-interrupted main race – retroactive tyre pressure penalties overturn the result: Aldeguer (P2) and Bagnaia (P3, first Ducati factory team podium of 2026) displace penalised Mir to P17. Álex Márquez (collarbone + C7 vertebral fracture, operated Sunday evening) and Zarco (knee pain) hospitalised – both miss Mugello and Balaton, Márquez comeback earliest in Brno. Bezzecchi leads the championship 142:127 ahead of Martín
• Italian GP at Mugello (Round 7): Bezzecchi wins his home race ahead of Martin, Aprilia celebrates its fourth one-two finish of the season. Bagnaia saves third by 0.034 seconds over Ogura, preventing a triple Aprilia podium. Bezzecchi extends his championship lead to 173:156 points. In Saturday’s sprint, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) claimed his first victory, Marquez returned from double surgery in fifth
• Hungarian GP at Balaton Park (Round 8): Marc Márquez completes his second consecutive Balaton treble and celebrates his 100th victory across all classes with the Grand Prix win – only Agostini (122) and Rossi (115) have more. Jorge Martín takes out championship leader Bezzecchi in Turn 1, both score zero. Acosta second (13th MotoGP podium without a win), Bagnaia third. Bezzecchi still leads the championship 180:160 over Martín
• 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 heats up: Tech3 confirms it will stay with KTM, Joan Mir leaves Honda for Gresini Ducati, David Alonso joins the Honda factory team, Holgado also to Gresini, Puig steps down as team manager, Brivio joins HRC – 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.

* 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. In an interview ahead of the Spanish GP, Márquez openly admitted that his right arm will “never be 100 percent again” after ten surgeries – but ruled out retirement: “As long as I’m competitive, I won’t stop.”
→ Marquez Shows His Right Arm: Why He Is Still Fighting for the Title

Beyond 2026, opinions differ on who could seriously threaten Márquez in the long run: Miguel Oliveira rates him as the greatest of all time in purely riding terms and sees only Pedro Acosta as a genuine rival, while the MotoGP chief medical officer adds an explanation on the mental level (➜ MotoGP’s Next Generation: Why Only Acosta Can Threaten Marquez).

Marco Bezzecchi took over the championship lead at the Brazilian GP. The Aprilia factory rider dominated the Sunday race at Goiânia from start to finish, winning by over three seconds – his fourth consecutive Grand Prix victory. Jorge Martín finished second, his best result yet on the Aprilia RS-GP. Fabio Di Giannantonio took third after an intense battle with Marc Márquez. Francesco Bagnaia had a weekend to forget, crashing out of the race. Pedro Acosta lost the championship lead and could only manage seventh. Yamaha surprised at Goiânia: Quartararo qualified fourth and finished sixth in the sprint. Honda shows cautious progress.

At the Americas GP in Austin (Round 3), the championship lead changed hands. Jorge Martín won the sprint with a bold medium rear tyre strategy, overtaking long-time leader Francesco Bagnaia on the final lap. Marco Bezzecchi crashed from second position on lap eight, losing his championship lead. The biggest talking point was a collision between Marc Márquez and pole-sitter Fabio Di Giannantonio at Turn 12 – Márquez lost the front under braking and took out the VR46 rider. The FIM stewards penalised Márquez with a long-lap penalty for Sunday’s race. Pedro Acosta initially finished third but was subsequently demoted to eighth after a tyre pressure infringement. Bezzecchi and Marini both lost two qualifying positions for Sunday’s race. Maverick Viñales withdrew from the entire weekend due to a shoulder surgery. At the Spanish GP in Jerez, Viñales remains absent – designated replacement Pol Espargaró also fell injured, leaving Tech3 to race with Bastianini only. For the French GP at Le Mans (Round 5), Jonas Folger steps in as replacement – the KTM development rider returns to Tech3 for his first MotoGP outing in nearly three years.

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, Bezzecchi struck back emphatically. Despite starting fourth, he took the lead on lap one and never looked back – his fifth consecutive Grand Prix victory. With 121 consecutive laps led, he broke the historic record of Jorge Lorenzo (103 laps, 2015). Martín finished second (+2.036 sec), Acosta third. Marc Márquez fought back from eleventh to fifth after serving his long-lap penalty. Ai Ogura retired with a gearbox failure, Bagnaia slipped to tenth. Bezzecchi reclaimed the championship lead with 81 points.

The Spanish GP at Jerez (Round 4) delivered historic scenes. The Sprint turned into the first flag-to-flag sprint in MotoGP history when sudden rain caught the field on slick tyres. Marc Márquez led from pole but crashed on lap eight on the wet track. In a controversial move, he picked up his bike, crossed the track perpendicularly and rode directly into pit lane to switch to his wet-weather bike – a manoeuvre the FIM stewards deemed legal, though it drew sharp criticism from Johann Zarco and others. Márquez won the chaotic sprint by over three seconds. Bagnaia and Morbidelli completed the podium, while championship leader Bezzecchi (tear-off stuck under rear tyre) and Martín (technical failure) both scored zero.

In Sunday’s race under dry conditions, Álex Márquez dominated on the Gresini Ducati. Marc Márquez again started from pole and led briefly, but lost the front at Turn 11 on lap three and crashed out. Álex Márquez took control and built a gap of over two seconds to Bezzecchi by the flag – his first win of 2026 and second consecutive Jerez triumph. Di Giannantonio finished third, Martín fourth. Bagnaia suffered another technical retirement on lap 13 – the Ducati factory team has now gone nine Grands Prix without a podium. Bezzecchi’s run of five consecutive GP victories and 121 consecutive laps in the lead both came to an end, closing a historic chapter of dominance. Four Aprilias finished in the top six.

The French GP at Le Mans (Round 5) delivered a spectacular Sprint on Saturday. Jorge Martín started from eighth on the grid, catapulted his Aprilia RS-GP to the front in the opening corners and controlled the 13-lap race with authority – his 18th career Sprint victory and second win of 2026. Francesco Bagnaia secured second, while Bezzecchi salvaged third to preserve his championship lead, which shrank from eleven to six points. Marc Márquez suffered a violent highsider at Turn 13 one lap from the end – his third heavy crash of the season. Six riders retired in total, including Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli (VR46 scoreless). Quartararo confirmed Yamaha’s upward trend with fifth place in front of the home crowd.

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, Martín wrote MotoGP history. Starting from seventh, he worked his way forward patiently, passed Bezzecchi three laps from the end and won by 0.477 seconds. Ai Ogura completed the first-ever Aprilia 1-2-3 in premier class history – his maiden MotoGP podium and the first dry-race podium for a Japanese rider since 2012. Bagnaia crashed again (lap 16), making it four Sunday retirements in five races. Bezzecchi’s championship lead shrank to a single point (128:127). Marc Márquez missed the race due to injury and will also sit out the Catalan GP in Barcelona.

→ Le Mans Sprint: Martín Storms from Eighth to Victory, Márquez Crashes in Highsider
→ MotoGP Catalunya: Just One Point Between Bezzecchi and Martin, Marquez Out After Double Surgery
→ MotoGP in Miami? Liberty Media Pushes Street Circuit Plans

The Catalunya Sprint (Round 6) produced the closest sprint finish in MotoGP history: Álex Márquez held off Pedro Acosta by just 0.041 seconds after a twelve-lap battle at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Championship leader Bezzecchi could only manage ninth from twelfth on the grid, while Martín crashed for the fourth time that weekend. Bezzecchi’s lead grew marginally to two points (129:127). World champion Marc Márquez missed the entire Barcelona weekend after undergoing double surgery on his right shoulder and right foot following his Le Mans crash.

The Sunday main race became one of the most dramatic Grands Prix in recent history: the red flag was shown twice. After a severe high-speed crash involving Álex Márquez (triggered by a technical failure on Acosta’s KTM at over 200 km/h), the race was red-flagged for the first time – both Márquez and, following a second restart incident, Zarco were taken to hospital. In the shortened 12-lap race, Di Giannantonio moved past Acosta on lap 8 and claimed his first Grand Prix victory since the 2023 Qatar GP – also the first win for Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team since that same season. Retroactive tyre pressure penalties (five riders each receiving 16 seconds) significantly altered the result: Joan Mir, who had crossed the line in second, lost his position due to insufficient tyre pressure. Fermín Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati) moved up to second, Francesco Bagnaia to third – the Ducati Lenovo Team’s first Grand Prix podium of the 2026 season. Bagnaia had also been under suspicion but was cleared after his low tyre pressure was attributed to a leaking rim. Bezzecchi (fourth) extends his championship lead to 142:127 over Martín. Martín was taken out in an Aprilia-internal collision with Fernández for his fifth crash of the weekend and afterwards apologised for shoving team manager Paolo Bonora. Acosta went down on the final lap in contact with Ogura.

→ Catalunya Sprint: Alex Marquez Wins by 0.041 Seconds Over Acosta – Closest Sprint Finish in MotoGP History
→ Catalan GP Race: Di Giannantonio Wins the Double-Chaos – Two Red Flags, Márquez and Zarco Hospitalized
→ Barcelona Update: Álex Márquez with Collarbone and C7 Fractures, Mir Loses Podium via Tyre Pressure Penalty
→ MotoGP Catalunya 2026: Two Red Flags, Two Riders Hospitalized and a Safety Debate Long Overdue
→ Jorge Martin hospitalized after sixth crash: All-clear in Barcelona
→ Catalan GP 2026: Barcelona’s Black Sunday – Results, Injuries and Penalty Controversy
→ Alex Marquez After Barcelona Horror: Mugello and Balaton Without the Vice World Champion
→ MotoGP 2026: Honda Restructures, Rossi Analyzes and Razgatlioglu Battles the Tires
→ Marc Marquez Plans Mugello Comeback: What the Ducati Champion Expects After Double Surgery

At the Italian GP in Mugello (Round 7), the Saturday Sprint delivered a surprise: Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) won his first sprint in the premier class by 1.289 seconds over Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Championship leader Bezzecchi could only manage fourth, his lead over Martin shrinking to twelve points (148:136). Marc Marquez returned from his double surgery to finish fifth. Tyre choice proved decisive: Fernandez and Martin were the only riders on the medium rear tyre and finished first and second. The day before, Martin had set a new MotoGP top speed record of 368.6 km/h, while Bezzecchi secured pole position with a new Mugello lap record. Yamaha endured a difficult weekend: Cal Crutchlow, standing in for the injured Zarco, finished the sprint last. Meanwhile, Aprilia and Monster Energy announced a multi-year partnership with title sponsor status from 2027.

→ Mugello Friday: Marquez Comeback, Ducati on Top, Aprilia in Trouble
→ Mugello Sprint: Raul Fernandez Wins – Underdog Beats Factory Aprilias
→ Mugello Race: Bezzecchi Wins Home Grand Prix – Aprilia’s Fourth One-Two of 2026
→ Marquez Comeback at Mugello: What It Reveals About His Future

At the Hungarian GP at Balaton Park (Round 8), Marc Marquez made an emphatic return: just one week after his Mugello comeback, the world champion took pole position (1:36.785) and won the sprint from start to finish – his first victory since his double surgery on shoulder and foot, and his 18th career sprint win, drawing level with record holder Jorge Martin. Pedro Acosta finished second, championship leader Marco Bezzecchi defended third. In Sunday’s main race, Marquez completed the treble: after a hard-fought duel with Pedro Acosta he won by 1.343 seconds – his 100th victory across all classes, a milestone previously reached only by Giacomo Agostini (122) and Valentino Rossi (115). The race lost its championship leaders in Turn 1: Jorge Martin took out teammate Marco Bezzecchi, with Raul Fernandez and Fermin Aldeguer also eliminated. Bagnaia finished third for his third consecutive podium, while substitute Iker Lecuona took seventh on his Gresini debut. Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco remained sidelined through injury – Lecuona and Cal Crutchlow (LCR) deputised for them.

→ Marc Marquez Wins Hungary Sprint: First Victory After Shoulder Surgery
→ Marc Marquez Claims 100th Victory: Martin Takes Out Bezzecchi in Hungary

With Nicolò Bulega, the last remaining Ducati seat for 2027 has now been filled as well: the Superbike front-runner takes over the second bike at the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team alongside Fermín Aldeguer, while Franco Morbidelli moves the other way into the Superbike World Championship with Aruba.it Ducati.

→ MotoGP Concorde Agreement sealed: Rider market for 2027 now in motion
→ MotoGP 2026: Ducati Preparation and Aldeguer’s Training Crash
→ Ai Ogura Signs with Yamaha for 2027: Factory Team with Two World Champions
→ MotoGP 2027: Márquez Hesitates at Ducati, Bagnaia to Aprilia?
→ MotoGP 2027: Honda Signs David Alonso, Holgado Joins Gresini Ducati
→ MotoGP 2027: Ducati’s Tire Crisis, the Driver Market Earthquake, and a Surprising Engineer’s Return
→ Vinales counters KTM rumours: why his shoulder now decides
→ Marini leaves Honda: Tech3 confirms KTM switch for 2027
→ Aldeguer to VR46: Ducati Puts Him on Equal Terms With Its Factory Riders in 2027
→ Bulega to race MotoGP for VR46 in 2027: the rookie with the Ducati head start

One departure is now confirmed as well: Jack Miller is leaving MotoGP after twelve years and will race for the Yamaha factory team in the Superbike World Championship in 2027 and 2028. His seat at Prima Pramac Yamaha alongside Toprak Razgatlıoğlu goes to Moto2 rider Izan Guevara.

→ Jack Miller Leaves MotoGP: Yamaha Signs Him for World Superbike

Current Championship Standings after the Misano Sprint (Round 14)

Marc Márquez has won the sprint for the Grand Prix of San Marino at Misano, finishing ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martín. Bezzecchi started from pole, but Márquez out-braked him into turn one and led every lap; the gap at the flag was 0.743 seconds, with Martín a further 1.794 seconds back. Jorge Martín stays top of the table on 263 points, but his cushion keeps shrinking: Marc Márquez is second on 249, just 14 points behind, with Marco Bezzecchi third on 241. Fabio Di Giannantonio (214) and Ai Ogura (203) follow. Ogura misses Misano, his second absence in a row: the left thumb operated on 27 August has not healed sufficiently, and with stand-in Lorenzo Savadori unavailable, Trackhouse fields Raúl Fernández alone. The San Marino GP race, round 14 of 22, starts on Sunday, 13 September 2026 over 27 laps; the season then continues from 18 to 20 September 2026 with the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring.

→ Ai Ogura misses Misano too: what the absence costs in the title fight

At the preceding Grand Prix at Silverstone, Aprilia swept the top three places in both the sprint and the Grand Prix. Raúl Fernández took the main race for Trackhouse ahead of Jorge Martín and Marco Bezzecchi, who reached the podium despite collarbone and knee injuries. Seven riders retired and only 16 were classified. The official result was only settled hours after the chequered flag: a subsequent 16-second penalty for Fabio Quartararo over missing tyre-pressure sensor data shifted every classification from 12th place down. After the race, Jorge Martín led the table on 240 points – 31 clear of Bezzecchi (209). Next came Ai Ogura (203), who crashed out of the race, Marc Márquez (200) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (199). For the reigning champion, seventh place saw his deficit grow from 18 to 40 points. At the Aragón weekend, Johann Zarco and Fermín Aldeguer were back on the grid. Maverick Viñales, however, is still missing – on 25 August Tech3 confirmed that KTM test rider Pol Espargaró will again take over the number 12 RC16 at Aragón, with the San Marino GP at Misano named as the new comeback target. The remaining nine Grands Prix run through to the end of November, and several riders still have a realistic shot at the title.

Several side stories made headlines around the Dutch GP: a number of frontrunners picked up injuries – Marco Bezzecchi was ultimately given the all-clear after his crash, while Pedro Acosta underwent successful surgery on his right wrist and is targeting a return at the German GP at the Sachsenring, subject to a medical check, and Fermín Aldeguer faces a longer break. Ducati works rider Pecco Bagnaia became a father on race morning, started anyway and retired after 15 laps with a technical failure. Maverick Viñales misses the restart after the summer break at Silverstone: behind the withdrawal is a previously undetected crack in his left shoulder that may explain months of weakness – Pol Espargaró takes over the Red Bull KTM Tech3 RC16.
→ Marc Marquez Wins Sachsenring Sprint and Breaks the Sprint Record
→ Viñales on the Verge of Quitting MotoGP: KTM Tells a Very Different Story of the Split
→ MotoGP Assen: All Clear for Bezzecchi, Surgery for Acosta
→ Pedro Acosta Undergoes Successful Surgery: Comeback at Sachsenring Planned
→ Pecco Bagnaia: Became a father in Assen, raced anyway
→ MotoGP Concerns Ahead of the Sachsenring: Marquez, Vinales, Bezzecchi
→ MotoGP Before the Sachsenring: Title Fight Wide Open, Marquez Chases Records
→ Marc Marquez Wins at the Sachsenring and Closes in on the Championship Lead
→ Sachsenring: Why Alex Marquez and Di Giannantonio Really Crashed
→ MotoGP Summer Break: Bagnaia Surgery, the Marquez Brothers and Lorenzo’s Verdict
→ MotoGP 2026: Marquez Closes the Gap as Five Riders Chase the Title
→ Ducati Drops Out of Rank A: Aprilia Now Level in the Title Fight
→ Vinales out at Silverstone: New diagnosis explains his weakness
→ MotoGP Title Run-In: Martin Leads, but Aragon Plays into Marquez’s Hands
→ Öhlins on Marquez and Rossi: What Sets Bagnaia Apart from Both
→ Maverick Vinales misses Aragon: second comeback date falls through
→ Marquez Wins Misano Sprint: Martin’s Title Lead Cut to 14 Points
→ Quartararo and Yamaha settle dispute: nothing changes on the key point

Standings after the San Marino GP sprint at Misano (September 12, 2026). The race follows on Sunday, September 13, 2026. Next round: Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring, September 18–20, 2026.

→ Marc Marquez wins at Aragon: only 19 points behind Martin

→ Acosta after fifth place at Silverstone: two demands for KTM

→ Silverstone aftermath: Quartararo scores no points, Ducati admits its deficit

→ Raul Fernandez Wins at Silverstone: Marc Marquez Loses Championship Ground

→ Márquez without control of his right arm: Ducati shows it itself

→ Silverstone Sprint: Ducati Puzzled, Michelin Explains the Tyre Drop-Off

→ Marc Marquez Closes the Gap: What’s Behind His Strong European Run

→ Marquez vs. Aprilia: What Matters Before the Brno Weekend

→ Alex Marquez Ahead of MotoGP Comeback in Brno: What the Return Depends On

→ Bagnaia Wins the Brno Sprint – Bezzecchi Crash Costs Championship Points

→ MotoGP Brno 2026: Ogura Claims Pole, Bagnaia Wins Sprint

→ Marquez Wins at Brno: What the Victory Means for the MotoGP Title Fight

→ Ai Ogura Wins at Assen: First MotoGP Victory for Japan in 22 Years

→ Pedro Acosta at Assen: KTM Reliability Woes and a Frustrating Sprint

Over the summer break KTM received the approval of all the other manufacturers to open the sealed RC16 engines and replace a faulty supplier part. The work is scheduled for the week before the Aragon GP at the factory in Austria, supervised by an IRTA technician; at Silverstone the four KTM riders were still running the previous interim solution with reduced maximum revs. The overhaul then took place during the break after Silverstone at Munderfing in Upper Austria; the return to the full rev band is expected from the Misano weekend onwards, although it has not been officially confirmed.

→ KTM Allowed to Open MotoGP Engines: What Changes from Aragon

→ KTM RC16 and the Missing 500 rpm: What the Rev Cut Really Cost

→ Johann Zarco Is Back: Aragón Comeback With a Penalty in His Luggage

During the summer break, the focus is shifting to 2027: a crew chief reshuffle runs through several garages. Jorge Martín is set to work with David Muñoz at Yamaha, Valentino Rossi’s former crew chief, while his previous crew chief Daniele Romagnoli stays at Aprilia and will look after Francesco Bagnaia going forward. Bagnaia’s long-time crew chief Christian Gabbarini is assigned to Pedro Acosta at Ducati. At the same time, rider manager Carlo Pernat describes a fractured mood at Aprilia since the two factory riders collided at Balaton Park – the phase that, together with a race ban and heavy crashes at Assen and the Sachsenring, dropped Marco Bezzecchi from the championship lead to fourth. After surgery on his left collarbone, Bezzecchi sat on a motorcycle again for the first time at a test in Misano in late July; at Silverstone he started despite collarbone and knee injuries and finished third.

→ Bezzecchi Tests at Misano: Why Silverstone Is Still Open

→ MotoGP 2026: Martin Gets Rossi’s Former Crew Chief as Aprilia Struggles

→ Thailand GP Sprint: Acosta Wins, Márquez Penalised
→ Thailand GP Race: Bezzecchi Dominates, Márquez Retires
→ Marc Márquez: On the Road to Victory #100
→ MotoGP 2026: Between Comeback, New Beginnings and Power Struggles
→ Brazil Sprint: Márquez wins after Di Giannantonio mistake
→ Brazil Race: Bezzecchi dominates with four consecutive wins
→ Ducati Under Pressure: Aprilia Dominates, Marquez Can’t Do It Alone
→ Austin Sprint: Martin wins, Bezzecchi crashes, Márquez collides with Di Giannantonio
→ MotoGP Penalty Storm at COTA: Marquez, Acosta and Two Qualifying Offenders Caught
→ Austin GP Race: Bezzecchi Makes History with Fifth Consecutive Win and New Laps-Led Record
→ Ducati in Crisis: Aprilia Dominates MotoGP 2026 at Will
→ MotoGP 2026: Marquez Trains on Panigale V2, Ducati Adds Rear Aero
→ Tech3 Travels to Jerez With Just One Rider: Vinales Out, Espargaro Injured
→ Marc Marquez on Injuries, Comeback and Career End
→ Jerez Sprint: Marquez Wins After Crash in Rain-Soaked Chaos, Bezzecchi and Martin Scoreless
→ Jerez Sprint Analysis: Why the FIM Did Not Penalise Marquez
→ Spanish GP Race: Álex Márquez Wins in Jerez, Champion Marc Márquez Crashes Out Early
→ Jerez Analysis: Álex Márquez Wins, but Ducati’s Crisis Runs Deeper
→ Aprilia RS-GP26: New “Elephant Ears” Open Up Third Aero Field in MotoGP
→ Jonas Folger Celebrates MotoGP Comeback: What His Return Means for Tech3 at Le Mans
→ Jorge Martin After Hungary Crash: Penalty for Brno and Impact on Championship Battle

→ Honda Wildcard for Nakagami in Motegi: Why It Could Be the Last One

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 has been postponed from April to November 8 due to the Middle East conflict – Portugal and Valencia each move back one week. Whether the race is actually run at Lusail is now open: MotoGP no longer rules out staging the Grand Prix of Qatar in another country. A decision is due by the end of August.

* The Phillip Island contract expires at the end of 2026. The Australian GP moves into downtown Adelaide in 2027: the revised Adelaide Street Circuit measures 4.13 kilometres and has 15 corners, construction is scheduled to begin in December 2026 and the first race is planned for November 2027. The contract initially runs through 2032.

→ MotoGP Adelaide 2027: New Layout, Three Corners Fewer Than Planned
→ Phillip Island Stays a Racetrack: Fox Denies Golf Course Rumor
→ MotoGP at the Formula 1 Race in Austin: Regular Riders Left Out

→ MotoGP Qatar GP in doubt: race could move to another country
→ MotoGP 2026 Calendar: Qatar GP Postponed to November Due to Middle East Conflict
→ MotoGP 2026: Premium Strategy, Qatar Cancellation and Open Rider Market
→ MotoGP in Miami? Liberty Media Pushes Street Circuit Plans
→ Suzuka 8 Hours 2026: Miller and Zarco Bring MotoGP Speed to Endurance Racing

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 – Andrea Iannone joins Nitiracing from Mugello.

Start-line safety: In response to a series of serious start-line crashes, MotoGP is widening the gap between grid rows by three metres from the Sachsenring (July 12); ride-height devices will also be banned at the start from the British Grand Prix onward. The front holeshot device ban has also been brought forward and already applies from the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen, while a limit of six motorcycles per manufacturer follows from 2028.

→ MotoGP widens the starting grid: What changes from the Sachsenring onward

→ MotoGP Assen 2026: Raul Fernandez Leads Trackhouse to a Historic One-Two

→ MotoGP Assen: Heat and Crashes Spark New Safety Debate

→ MotoGP Brings Forward Holeshot Ban: What Changes at Assen and Beyond

→ New FIM Helmet Rule: Chaos at Season Opener

Development stopped at Ducati: According to test rider Michele Pirro, no major development steps are planned for the current Desmosedici GP26 – the resources are already tied up in the 850cc project for 2027. The first official test with the new machine took place after the Grand Prix at Brno, with a second outing for the regular riders following in September, straight after the race weekend at the Red Bull Ring.

→ Acosta Criticizes the 850cc Engine and Demands More Rider Influence in MotoGP
→ Ducati GP26 Without New Parts: What It Means for Marquez in the Title Fight

Outlook: What’s Coming in 2027?

The 2027 season brings the biggest rule change in years. Displacement drops from 1,000 to 850 cubic centimeters, Pirelli replaces Michelin as the tyre supplier, aerodynamics are cut back and the ride-height devices are dropped. At the same time, almost all rider contracts expired at the end of 2026, so the field looks different at nearly every factory seat.

The new season starts from March 5 to 7, 2027 in Buriram, and in the calendar the Australian GP moves from Phillip Island to Adelaide. At Ducati, Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta form the factory team, Francesco Bagnaia moves to Aprilia, Fabio Quartararo to Honda and Jorge Martín to Yamaha. The Concorde Agreement secures the series with all five manufacturers through 2031.

➜ All the details on the new era are in our dedicated overview: 2027 MotoGP Season: The Complete Overview – Teams, Riders, Calendar and the New 850cc Rules. It brings together the regulations, dates, the rider line-up, the Moto2 changes and the state of testing.