By Riccardo Tafà| Posted May 10, 2026 | In MotoGP, MotoGP, MotoGP
The MotoGP 2026 calendar features 22 Grands Prix across five continents and 18 countries, opening with the Thai Grand Prix in Buriram on February 27 – March 1 and closing with the Valencia Grand Prix on November 20 – 22.
This guide to the MotoGP calendar 2026 dates covers every round, circuit, and key change to the MotoGP 2026 schedule. The MotoGP season 2026 brings Brazil back after a 22-year absence, Hungary debuts at Balaton Park, and Argentina drops off the schedule. 2026 is also the final season of the 1000cc era. This complete MotoGP 2026 race schedule, prepared by RTR Sports Marketing, covers all race dates, circuits, the Sprint format, and US viewing options.
Below is the complete MotoGP 2026 calendar with dates and venues — every round of the MotoGP 2026 schedule mapped to its circuit. The November cluster (Qatar, Portugal, Valencia) was rescheduled following the late-season reshuffle. Use these MotoGP calendar 2026 dates as a quick reference; the round-by-round breakdown follows further down the page, and the full MotoGP 2026 race schedule remains valid through the season finale in Valencia
| Round | Grand Prix | Date | Circuit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thai Grand Prix | Feb 27 – Mar 1 | Chang International Circuit, Buriram |
| 2 | Brazilian Grand Prix | Mar 20 – 22 | Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna, Goiânia |
| 3 | Grand Prix of the Americas | Mar 27 – 29 | Circuit of The Americas, Austin |
| 4 | Spanish Grand Prix | Apr 24 – 26 | Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto |
| 5 | French Grand Prix | May 8 – 10 | Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans |
| 6 | Catalan Grand Prix | May 15 – 17 | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya |
| 7 | Italian Grand Prix | May 29 – 31 | Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello |
| 8 | Hungarian Grand Prix | Jun 5 – 7 | Balaton Park Circuit |
| 9 | Czech Grand Prix | Jun 19 – 21 | Brno Circuit |
| 10 | Dutch TT | Jun 26 – 28 | TT Circuit Assen |
| 11 | German Grand Prix | Jul 10 – 12 | Sachsenring |
| 12 | British Grand Prix | Aug 7 – 9 | Silverstone Circuit |
| 13 | Aragon Grand Prix | Aug 28 – 30 | MotorLand Aragón |
| 14 | San Marino Grand Prix | Sep 11 – 13 | Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli |
| 15 | Austrian Grand Prix | Sep 18 – 20 | Red Bull Ring, Spielberg |
| 16 | Japanese Grand Prix | Oct 2 – 4 | Mobility Resort Motegi |
| 17 | Indonesian Grand Prix | Oct 9 – 11 | Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit |
| 18 | Australian Grand Prix | Oct 23 – 25 | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit |
| 19 | Malaysian Grand Prix | Oct 30 – Nov 1 | Petronas Sepang International Circuit |
| 20 | Qatar Grand Prix | Nov 6 – 8 | Lusail International Circuit (Rescheduled) |
| 21 | Portuguese Grand Prix | Nov 13 – 15 | Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Rescheduled) |
| 22 | Valencia Grand Prix (Finale) | Nov 20 – 22 | Circuit Ricardo Tormo (Rescheduled) |
DOWNLOAD MOTOGP 2026 CALENDAR IN PDF
The 2026 season opens with three official tests: the Sepang Shakedown for test riders and rookies, the full Sepang Test, and the Buriram Test the week before Round 1. These sessions set the early performance baseline of every package and open the first activation window for sponsors.
Round 1 — Thai Grand Prix (27 Feb – 1 Mar, Chang International Circuit, Buriram) — Buriram opens the MotoGP season 2026 under floodlights and equatorial heat, defining the first 2026 performance map.
Round 2 — Brazilian Grand Prix (20 – 22 Mar, Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna, Goiânia) — Brazil is back on the MotoGP 2026 schedule — the marquee story of 2026 and a major commercial reopening of South America.
Round 3 — Grand Prix of the Americas (27 – 29 Mar, Circuit of The Americas, Austin) — The MotoGP race in the USA in 2026 takes place at COTA in Austin on March 27 – 29 — the only round on US soil and the championship’s primary American activation window. For US fans tracking the MotoGP 2026 Americas GP Austin date time, sessions run in US Central Time across the race weekend, and the full MotoGP 2026 race schedule places COTA as Round 3.
Round 4 — Spanish Grand Prix (24 – 26 Apr, Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto) — Jerez kicks off the European leg with one of MotoGP’s most attended races and historically reshapes the early championship narrative.
Round 5 — French Grand Prix (8 – 10 May, Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans) — Le Mans regularly delivers six-figure crowds and unpredictable racing, anchoring the early European calendar.
Round 6 — Catalan Grand Prix (15 – 17 May, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya) — Barcelona returns as a back-to-back race after Le Mans — a long-standing MotoGP venue with strong fan engagement across southern Europe.
Round 7 — Italian Grand Prix (29 – 31 May, Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello) — Mugello is the spiritual home of Italian motorcycle racing and a critical commercial weekend for Ducati, Aprilia, and the Italian sponsor ecosystem.
Round 8 — Hungarian Grand Prix (5 – 7 Jun, Balaton Park Circuit) — Hungary debuts on the MotoGP calendar at Balaton Park — a strategic expansion into the Central European market.
Round 9 — Czech Grand Prix (19 – 21 Jun, Brno Circuit) — Brno returns in 2026 after recent calendar absences, reactivating one of MotoGP’s most loyal fan bases.
Round 10 — Dutch TT (26 – 28 Jun, TT Circuit Assen) — Assen — the only circuit to have hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix every year since 1949 — remains the Cathedral of Speed.
Round 11 — German Grand Prix (10 – 12 Jul, Sachsenring) — The Sachsenring’s tight, anti-clockwise layout closes the first half of the European season with one of the most distinctive race profiles on the calendar.
Round 12 — British Grand Prix (7 – 9 Aug, Silverstone Circuit) — Silverstone, the fastest track on the calendar, hosts the British Grand Prix following the championship’s summer break.
Round 13 — Aragon Grand Prix (28 – 30 Aug, MotorLand Aragón) — MotorLand returns after recent restructuring; its high-grip surface and long start-finish straight reward power and aerodynamics.
Round 14 — San Marino Grand Prix (11 – 13 Sep, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli) — Misano remains a commercial hub for Italian and Adriatic sponsors and opens the late-season run-in.
Round 15 — Austrian Grand Prix (18 – 20 Sep, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg) — Spielberg is KTM’s home race and a marquee event for the Red Bull motorsport ecosystem.
Round 16 — Japanese Grand Prix (2 – 4 Oct, Mobility Resort Motegi) — Motegi is the most important domestic round for Honda and Yamaha and a critical Asian commercial weekend.
Round 17 — Indonesian Grand Prix (9 – 11 Oct, Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit) — Mandalika delivers MotoGP’s fastest-growing fan base in Southeast Asia and a strategic round for ASEAN brands.
Round 18 — Australian Grand Prix (23 – 25 Oct, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit) — Phillip Island’s coastal layout and unpredictable wind make this one of the most spectacular weekends on the schedule.
Round 19 — Malaysian Grand Prix (30 Oct – 1 Nov, Petronas Sepang International Circuit) — Sepang anchors the championship’s Asian closing run and is a critical weekend for Petronas-aligned partnerships.
Round 20 — Qatar Grand Prix (6 – 8 Nov, Lusail International Circuit) — Rescheduled — Qatar moves to November 2026 as part of the calendar reshuffle that pushes the flyaway block deeper into the year.
Round 21 — Portuguese Grand Prix (13 – 15 Nov, Autódromo Internacional do Algarve) — Rescheduled — Portimão returns as a rescheduled round; the Algarve venue is one of the most demanding circuits on the modern schedule.
Round 22 — Valencia Grand Prix / Season Finale (20 – 22 Nov, Circuit Ricardo Tormo) — Rescheduled — Valencia closes the final 1000cc championship and sets the stage for the 2027 reset.
2026 is the last season under the current 1000cc regulations. From 2027, MotoGP transitions to 850cc engines as part of a sweeping technical reset designed to control top speeds and tighten the championship’s commercial appeal.
Michelin completes a decade as MotoGP’s sole tire supplier in 2026. From 2027, Pirelli assumes the championship’s tire supply contract — a generational shift in technical partnership and a major commercial story.
2026 is also the last full season for ride-height devices and the most aggressive aerodynamic packages currently allowed. Sustainable fuel content rises ahead of the 2027 mandate for full sustainable fuel.
Here is what is new in MotoGP for the 2026 season — the most notable shifts in the MotoGP calendar 2026 dates and host venues.
The Brazilian Grand Prix returns to the world championship for the first time since 2004, hosted at the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia.
Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit makes its MotoGP debut as Round 8 — the first MotoGP weekend in Hungary, opening a new Central European market.
Argentina is not on the 2026 calendar; the Termas de Río Hondo round, a fixture of recent seasons, has been removed pending future scheduling decisions.
Qatar (Nov 6 – 8), Portugal (Nov 13 – 15), and Valencia (Nov 20 – 22) form the rescheduled November finale, extending the season later than in recent calendars.
The Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup joins the 2026 weekend as a support series — a meaningful step in MotoGP’s strategy to broaden its motorcycle racing portfolio for American audiences.
Friday delivers two free practice sessions; the second session decides direct Q2 qualification for the top 10. Q1 promotes two more riders to Q2, where the top 12 set the grid for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix.
The Saturday Sprint runs over half the Sunday distance and awards points to the top nine finishers (12-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1).
The Sunday Grand Prix awards 25-20-16-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points down to 15th place across all 22 rounds of the MotoGP 2026 race schedule.
EXPLORE MOTOGP SPONSORSHIP CALCULATOR
MotoGP 2026 spans five continents and 18 countries, with newly weighted exposure in South America, Central Europe, and Southeast Asia — the most diversified geographic spread in championship history.
Following Liberty Media’s 2024 acquisition of Dorna Sports, MotoGP enters 2026 with new ownership conviction, an upgraded media playbook, and stronger US distribution alignment with Formula 1. The MotoGP 2026 schedule is the first full season under that new operating model.
The 2027 technical reset creates a strategic entry window in 2026: multi-year deals signed now lock in the benefits of motorsport sponsorship at pre-reset rates ahead of likely repricing.
For brands modeling expected return, our detailed guide on motorsport sponsorship ROI walks through the assumptions worth challenging before signing.
The 2026 grid is one of the most competitive in recent memory. For a commercial and form-based breakdown of the field, see our guide to the top MotoGP riders in 2026.
Reigning World Champion Marc Márquez returns to defend his crown with Ducati Lenovo Team — his first full title defense at Borgo Panigale. For a full look at the brands backing the championship’s biggest names, see our guide to the Most Famous Brands in MotoGP Sponsorship.
World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu makes his MotoGP debut with Pramac Yamaha — one of the most anticipated transitions in recent memory.
Yamaha’s new V4 engine arrives in 2026 after years of inline-four heritage — a generational technical pivot for the Iwata factory.
Almost every rider contract on the 2026 grid expires at year-end, setting up one of the most active silly seasons in MotoGP history.
Brazil’s Diogo Moreira debuts with LCR Honda, becoming the first Brazilian on the premier-class grid in over a decade — a powerful narrative as MotoGP returns to Brazil.
US viewers can watch MotoGP 2026 live on the official MotoGP VideoPass streaming platform, which carries every session, every Sprint, and every Grand Prix. National broadcaster rights vary by territory; check your local provider for the full schedule. The Grand Prix of the Americas at COTA (27 – 29 Mar) is the only round held in US local time.
22 race weekends deliver more than 28,000 hours of premium global TV inventory across 200+ territories. For brands evaluating MotoGP sponsorship cost against media value, the 2026 schedule is one of the most expansive ever.
Buyers new to the category should also review how does motorsport sponsorship work for a primer on rights, deliverables, and category exclusivity.
Beyond TV, 2026 opens 22 weekends of paddock-led B2B hospitality and rider-driven activation. Effective motorsport sponsorship activation typically multiplies media value two- to three-fold.
As a specialist MotoGP Sponsorship Agency, RTR Sports Marketing maps each round to a brand’s geographic priorities and structures activation across hospitality, content, and dealer programs.
Our broader MotoGP Sponsorship guide expands the framework, including the full range of types of motorsport sponsorship available to brands entering the category.
The 2026 MotoGP season is more than a calendar — it is the closing chapter of an era. The last 1000cc championship, the last Michelin season, the return of Brazil, the debut of Hungary, the rise of Razgatlıoğlu, and the title defense of Marc Márquez make MotoGP season 2026 a uniquely valuable platform for sponsors.
When you are ready to move from research to a real deal, hire a sports marketing consultant for sponsorshipswho knows the paddock inside and out. RTR Sports Marketing is your strategic partner for the 2026 season — get in touch with our team to scope a tailored sponsorship plan within ten working days.
Want to sponsor a MotoGP team? Get in touch with RTR Sports Marketing →
The MotoGP season 2026 starts on February 27 – March 1, 2026, at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand.
The MotoGP 2026 calendar features 22 Grands Prix across five continents and 18 countries, plus three official pre-season tests.
The MotoGP season 2026 finale is the Valencia Grand Prix at Circuit Ricardo Tormo on November 20 – 22, 2026 — the closing round of the MotoGP 2026 race schedule
Qatar, Portugal, and Valencia were rescheduled to November 2026 as part of a calendar reshuffle that pushes the flyaway block later into the year.
Yes — 2026 is the final season under 1000cc regulations. From 2027, MotoGP moves to 850cc, switches tire supply from Michelin to Pirelli, and tightens aerodynamic and ride-height rules.
Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit debuts as a new venue, while the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia hosts the Brazilian Grand Prix’s return.
MotoGP 2026 is available worldwide on the official MotoGP VideoPass. National TV broadcasters carry selected sessions and races; check your local provider for the full broadcast schedule.
RTR Sports Marketing is a global motorsport sponsorship agency and consultancy, specialized in Formula 1 and MotoGP, and active across all major international racing series including Formula E, NASCAR, WEC, WRC and Dakar, helping brands build data-driven, high-performance sponsorship programs. Experience the power and put your brand in front of millions with motorsport sponsorship.
Sponsor a motorsport team today
Managing Director for RTR Sports, Riccardo graduated in law at the University of Bologna. He began his career in London in PR, then started working in two and four-wheelers. A brief move to Monaco followed before returning to Italy. There he founded RTR, first a consulting firm and then a sports marketing company which, eventually, he moved back to London.
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
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Read MoreIn an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
When first approaching a motorsport sponsorship project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Motorsport is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
Motorsport is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A motorsport sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which racing series, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the real heart of motorsport sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a motorsport marketing project, you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase online, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
We have been involved in motorsport sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
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