MotoGP will stage a semi-official shakedown at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit from January 29–31. It is the first on-track running since the Valencia post-season test in 2025. The circuit will be open each day from 10:00 to 18:00 local time, giving participants up to eight hours daily to perform systems checks, evaluate updated bikes and collect early setup data ahead of the main collective test. Media access is tightly limited to the paddock and service road, and no live coverage is planned; motogp.com will publish daily round-ups instead.

The entry list is reduced after Honda moved from concession band D to C, a change that excludes Luca Marini and Joan Mir and leaves only a small group of full-season riders expected on track. The full-time riders most likely to attend include factory Yamahas Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins; Pramac riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu; and rookie Diogo Moreira, who is expected to run on the LCR Honda. Razgatlioglu is also classified as a rookie.

Yamaha, which holds Rank D concessions, will be a focal point. The factory is bringing a significant new V4 iteration with a redesigned frame and an aero package developed with feedback from its four affiliated riders. Toprak Razgatlioglu will also work on requested ergonomic changes.

Manufacturers are using Sepang for targeted program work rather than full-field testing. Honda will pursue development under Aleix Espargaro’s supervision while Taka Nakagami focuses on a separate 2027 850cc project. KTM plans a larger pre-season program led by Pol Espargaro with likely involvement from Dani Pedrosa. Ducati and Aprilia anticipate quieter shakedowns focused on their test riders, Michele Pirro and Lorenzo Savadori. Savadori is set to ride multiple Aprilias to cover for the injured Jorge Martin.

Overall, the shakedown is an initial, compact opportunity for teams to resolve technical issues and gain early technical impressions before the official collective test begins three days after the shakedown concludes.

Maverick Viñales announced at the KTM/Tech3 KTM 2026 launch that he has hired three-time champion Jorge Lorenzo as his performance coach. The formal partnership is formed to turn Viñales’s clear, raw pace into a sustained title challenge. Lorenzo’s remit covers technical areas such as throttle management, braking, race-specific preparation, and setting concrete, measurable goals; he is expected to join Viñales for testing and early races and has already been working closely with him since being brought in late in the previous season. Viñales said discussions about working together began after his double win at the 2024 Grand Prix of the Americas, though family timing delayed his ability to commit full-time. The hire represents a notable personnel change at Tech3 KTM and a pragmatic reconciliation between two former rivals who have moved from public barbs to a close, performance-focused working relationship.

Viñales also confirmed he has recovered from the Sachsenring shoulder injury that disrupted his 2025 campaign and missed the second half of that season. He reports he has regained weight, up 13 pounds from a previous benchmark of 134 pounds. In addition, the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center has confirmed his power has returned, and he expects to be fully fit for the upcoming Sepang test. Winter work has targeted specific weaknesses. Lorenzo has pushed wet sessions and 600cc training to improve sliding technique and rear-tire use, while Viñales and his engineers have focused on reducing rear shaking and improving cornering. After the first test, Viñales received positive feedback from Pedro Acosta and plans to use the pre-season tests to provide development input and validate measurable progress.

The partnership is presented as both an immediate performance aid and a potential stepping stone toward longer-term moves. Spanish outlet AS reported KTM is prioritizing Viñales as a possible factory signing for 2027 should Pedro Acosta leave. Viñales has emphasized that pure talent isn’t enough and that hard, structured work is required to become a reference point within KTM, with Lorenzo bringing a hands-on coaching approach to convert speed into race-winning consistency. All elements, including physical recovery, targeted technical work, hands-on coaching, and positive early test feedback, are being marshaled with the explicit aim of turning Viñales’s pace into sustained results for the 2026 season and beyond.

MotoGP confirmed its full 2026 testing program, outlining preseason activity, four in-season test days, and the framework for introducing Pirelli as the series’ tire supplier in 2027.

Preseason will begin with a Sepang shakedown (January 29–31), followed by the official Sepang test (February 3–5) and a Season Launch in Kuala Lumpur on February 7. Teams will then run a final two-day pre-race test at Buriram (February 21–22) before the opening round at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand (February 27–Mar 1).

The calendar includes four in-season test days: two official post-race tests using current-season Michelin tyres. The first is scheduled for April 27 at Jerez (after the Spanish GP) and then May 18 at Barcelona (after the Catalan GP), which will also serve as the final official tests for the 1,000cc bikes. Two non-official tests will see Pirelli-run evaluations of the 2027 tire package on the Mondays after the Czech and Austrian GPs, on June 22 and September 21, respectively. The Pirelli sessions are non-official (no live timing) and are intended solely to assess the incoming supplier’s tire package.

MotoGP noted Pirelli first ran MotoGP machinery in a private Misano test in 2025 and highlighted Pirelli’s wider motorsport role as a current F1 supplier and the sole WorldSBK supplier since 2004. The series also confirmed the 2027 preseason will begin on Tuesday after the Valencia GP (November 24), tying next year’s start directly to the 2026 finale.

KTM has unveiled its 2026 MotoGP liveries and confirmed Red Bull title backing for both its factory team and Tech3 satellite outfit, while keeping the factory pairing of Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder and retaining Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini at Tech3.

Tech3 is under new ownership led by Guenther Steiner, with Richard Coleman appointed team boss. KTM also detailed key crew moves for 2026. Enea Bastianini will work with Andrés Madrid, Phil Marron will move into Brad Binder’s garage, and former Bastianini crew chief Alberto Giribuola has switched to Pramac.

The announcement followed a financially destabilising winter for KTM’s 2025 programme, which influenced personnel decisions and the early confirmations of lineups.

Looking back at 2025, KTM finished third in the Constructors’ standings and its factory entry was fourth in the Teams’ standings, becoming the highest-ranked non‑Ducati-powered team after overtaking Aprilia. Pedro Acosta emerged as the squad’s on-track leader, adopted setup elements from Maverick Viñales, took KTM’s first official podium of the year at Brno, and closed the year fourth in the world championship. He described the season as “a wasted year” despite personal progress. Brad Binder finished 11th overall without a podium. Tech3 endured a turbulent season. Viñales had a strong result in Qatar, chalked off for a tyre-pressure infringement, and was sidelined time with a serious shoulder injury at Sachsenring. Enea Bastianini scored a Grand Prix and Sprint podium midseason but faded after losing Giribuola, and substitute Pol Espargaró provided stability with four top-10s in five starts.

Contract positions and longer-term planning remain unresolved. Media reports say all four riders are out of contract at the end of the season, and Acosta has been linked with a potential move to a Ducati-run team. Coverage described KTM as weighing roster choices while preparing for the 2027 regulations and surveying the wider MotoGP market for options rather than relying on an obvious in-house successor. Some outlets named long-shot possibilities such as Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo, but presented those as unlikely.

Francesco Bagnaia begins the season under heavy scrutiny after a difficult 2025, when he struggled to adapt to Ducati’s GP25 and dropped to fifth in the championship. He finished 257 points behind teammate Marc Márquez, who recorded 11 wins and eight pole positions. Bagnaia’s contract runs through the end of 2026, and pundit Carlo Pernat warned that a repeat of 2025‑level results next season would be “unthinkable.”

Inside the factory garage, team boss Davide Tardozzi said Márquez “helped and protected” Bagnaia during the toughest moments of 2025, describing protective interventions on at least two occasions. Ducati engineers pointed to recurring GP25 issues briefly solved at the Japanese Grand Prix but later resurfacing as part of the explanation for Bagnaia’s dip in form.

At Ducati’s 2026 bike launch in the Dolomites, Bagnaia pushed back against what he called excessive criticism, saying roughly “90%” of the negative commentary was unnecessary. He rejected suggestions that the factory favoured Márquez and emphasised that riders can choose equipment and that the bikes are largely similar.

Off-track, Ducati says it is not yet negotiating a contract extension with Bagnaia. At the launch, he said he felt “extremely relaxed” about his future; some observers interpreted that as openness to leaving after 2026.

Reports conflict over Márquez’s situation. Some outlets report he has agreed a new deal with Ducati, others say Honda remains interested, and some articles reference an in‑principle agreement for 2027–28. Transfer speculation also names Pedro Acosta among possible future Ducati candidates. Potential destinations mentioned, should Bagnaia depart, include VR46, Aprilia (whose CEO Massimo Rivola called Bagnaia a “tempting” candidate), Honda, and Yamaha.

How Bagnaia performs on the GP26 in 2026, the timing and outcome of any contract decisions, and continuing rider‑market activity, including developments around Márquez and Acosta, will shape his standing at Ducati beyond 2026.

Fermín Aldeguer fractured his left femur in a training crash earlier this month and underwent surgery in Barcelona shortly after. The operation was described as successful, but Gresini called the fracture complex.

His long‑time physiotherapist, Aitor Tomas, said it is “impossible” for Aldeguer to be ready for the early‑February pre‑season tests at Sepang and Buriram. Tomas added the team will “fight” to have him available for the season opener and noted recoveries vary, citing Pedro Acosta’s quick return from a similar injury, but Gresini cautioned that such comparisons are imperfect.

With the season opener scheduled Feb 27–Mar 1 in Buriram, Aldeguer’s participation is uncertain. Multiple reports suggest a comeback may not come until the Qatar Grand Prix on April 10–12. If so, he would miss the first three rounds (Thailand, Argentina, USA) and all pre‑season running, further limiting bike setup and race‑trim work.

Gresini has not named a replacement; short‑term lineup decisions will depend on medical reassessment and rehabilitation progress. Separately, reports say Ducati has removed the Murcian from its 2027 rider shortlist, an unconfirmed development that could affect Aldeguer’s longer‑term prospects if his recovery or form are impacted. Updates from his medical team and Gresini will determine whether he can be fit for Buriram or will require an extended layoff into the early rounds of the MotoGP season.

Trackhouse Aprilia revealed its 2026 MotoGP livery today in Milan, unveiling a revised blue-and-black color scheme with yellow accents and American flags on both sides of the satellite Aprilia RS-GP26. Riders Raúl Fernández and Ai Ogura attended the 3 pm CET (2 pm UK) launch. The team also confirmed a special Gulf livery that will be used at several Grands Prix, including Thailand, Brazil, Italy, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Trackhouse, which took over from CryptoDATA/RNF at the end of 2023, is based in North Carolina and had already run Gulf colors in 2025 without an official title sponsor.

The team retained Fernández and Ogura for 2026. Fernández was the team’s breakthrough rider in 2025, delivering Trackhouse’s first premier-class victory at Phillip Island, a Sprint podium at Mandalika, and a near-miss second in Valencia, and he finished the year 10th in the championship. Ogura debuted with a fifth place at Buriram, saw a rookie campaign curtailed by injuries, and ended 2025 16th. The team finished seventh in the teams’ championship, ahead of factory Honda and Tech3 KTM.

Trackhouse confirmed the RS-GP26 is set to make its first on-track appearance at the Sepang test, Feb 3–5, and that it will continue to receive factory-spec RS-GP machinery. The launch followed Aprilia’s disclosure of targeted 2026 updates to chassis, aerodynamics, and electronics, plus power-unit improvements carried out within engine-freeze limits. Coverage highlighted clear RS-GP development through 2025 and positioned established rivals — including Marc Marquez and factory Aprilia riders Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin as key comparators for Trackhouse’s prospects. The Sepang test will give the team its first real chance to assess those updates as it heads into the final 1000cc/Michelin season with continuity in riders and equipment and a visible new livery.

Dunlop has been named the official tire supplier and technical partner for the inaugural 2026 Harley‑Davidson Bagger World Cup, a new MotoGP support series. The appointment marks Dunlop’s return to the MotoGP paddock after supplying Moto2 and Moto3 until 2024, and builds on the company’s bagger‑racing work with the Harley‑Davidson x Dynojet program in MotoAmerica, which secured the 2025 riders’ and teams’ titles. Dunlop will supply dedicated racing tires and provide full technical and trackside support across the series.

The World Cup will run six double‑header rounds (12 races) on selected MotoGP weekends: Circuit of the Americas (Mar 27–29), Mugello (May 29–31), Assen (Jun 26–28), Silverstone (Aug 7–9), MotorLand Aragón (Aug 28–30) and the Red Bull Ring (Sep 18–20). Dorna confirmed the championship in mid‑2025 following a strategic partnership between MotoGP and Harley‑Davidson in late 2024. The new series takes the calendar slot of the MotoE World Championship, which is shelved for 2026. No teams or riders have been named yet.

Competitors will race identical Harley‑Davidson Road Glide machines prepared by the Harley‑Davidson x Dynojet Factory Race Team, powered by Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee‑Eight 131 crate engines. The bikes are specified at roughly 280 kg, produce more than 200 hp, and can exceed 300 km/h. Dunlop will supply specific tire sizes (front 120/75 R17 and rear 200/65 R17), provide full on‑track tire service at each round, and administer a US$250,000 contingency prize fund with progressive payouts to the top ten finishers of each race plus a US$25,000 end‑of‑season champion bonus. Together, the factory‑prepared spec machines, integrated tire support, and substantial contingency program position the Bagger World Cup as a factory‑backed, high‑performance spec‑bike championship designed to showcase bagger racing on major international race weekends.

Monster Energy Yamaha officially unveiled its 2026 M1 and team livery at a factory presentation in Jakarta on Jan. 21, 2026, streaming the launch live. The new livery keeps Yamaha’s blue-and-black identity but shifts to a predominantly black design with Yamaha blue and added white accents, including more blue around the front fairing. Most notably, the factory revealed a modern-era V4-powered M1, ending Yamaha’s inline-four era that began with MotoGP’s four-stroke regulations in 2002; the V4 project began roughly two years ago, and the motor and chassis took more than a year of development. A V4 prototype ran late in 2025 in wildcard outings for test rider Augusto Fernández, who scored a point at Misano and appeared at Sepang and Valencia.

Yamaha and team officials presented the V4 as a technical reset intended to restore competitiveness, saying the new package should bring a return of “full” engine power and significant changes to handling and performance. They tempered immediate expectations, indicating the V4 represents a longer-term development direction whose full payoff may arrive over the coming seasons rather than instantly in 2026. Under the 2026 regulations, Yamaha sits in the most generous concession rank (D), giving it greater testing and development opportunities during the season. The factory plans to use the advantage with scheduled on-track checks at Sepang involving Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins alongside Pramac riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.

The launch was framed around both technical ambition and urgent sporting needs. Yamaha has not won a premier-class race since mid-2022 and slipped toward the bottom of the manufacturers’ standings, prompting the change. Fabio Quartararo, retained for 2026, ended 2025 ninth with 201 points, including five poles, and Yamaha’s first podium in two years at Jerez. The Frenchman has stressed the need for a faster, more consistent package able to deliver regular top-3 and top-5 results after a string of setbacks, including a ride-height failure at Silverstone. Alex Rins, also kept by the factory, arrives after a difficult run through 2024–25. He finished 19th last year with a season-best seventh at Phillip Island, a far cry from his career best, which includes six MotoGP wins. Among them were the final inline-four premier-class victory (Valencia 2022) as well as a V4 win for Honda at COTA in 2023. With Quartararo’s contract situation and other rider options being discussed publicly, Yamaha positions 2026 as a development year for the V4 M1 aimed at rebuilding pace and reliability before a full return to consistent front-running results.