MotoGP Heads to Japan
MotoGP is finally done with their European rounds and we are headed to Japan for the 17th round of the 2026 season. The riders will be riding at Mobility Resort Motegi from October 2-4 as the overseas part of this season starts taking off.
The Track
Motegi is a 4.8-kilometers long circuit known for its stop-and-go layout. The track has some serious heavy braking zones followed by some acceleration sections, putting enough focus on the break performance and traction.
The circuit also has a long back straight and a couple technical corners, making overtaking possible under braking. The Japanese autumn weather also has a chance of playing a big role this weekend, which could provide some different challenges for the riders.
Title Fight
Jorge Martín is arriving in Japan with a 12 point lead in the championship after Austria, but Marc Márquez is only 12 points behind him and we only have 42 points separating the top three riders in the championship.
The Japanese Grand Prix is also the home race for Ai Ogura, who is returning to Motegi after recovering from an injury.
Weekend Schedule (JST)
Friday, October 2
10:45 – MotoGP FP1
15:00– MotoGP Practice
Saturday, October 3
10:10 – MotoGP FP2
10:50 – MotoGP Qualifying
15:00 – MotoGP Sprint
Sunday, October 4
09:40 – MotoGP Warm-up
11:00 – MotoGP Race
Article Written by Zoë Wokke
